All Together NOW! Dec-Jan 2020 by All Together Now

How YOU can help keep this UNIQUE charity paper ALIVE

DECEMBER-JANUARY, 2020

R A E Y W E N E P O H W E N

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All Together NOW!

What’s inside NEWS

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NEWS

STEVE MORGAN FOUNDATION UNITED UTILITIES

NEWS

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INDEPENDENT LIVING

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MOTORZONE

ON CREST OF A WAVE

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CONTACT BOARD

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HEALTHZONE

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KEN PYE

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Can YOU help? n All Together NOW! is a registered charity set up to provide a tip top news service for anyone whose life is affected by disability, long-term health condtions or age. n The charity – the only one of its kind in the UK – relies entirely on support from its sponsors, advertisers, subscriptions and donations.

BEST OF BUDDIES NEWS

December/January 2020

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Andy’s 1,460-mile run for pal Bertie

M year.

ARATHON man Andy Brown has gone the extra mile for his young friend Bertie Kay – every day for a

Andy, from Southport, Merseyside, strode out on a daily 5k run to support of Bertie, eight, who was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy, a rare muscle-wasting condition, in 2014. Andy, 47, who works at the Environment Agency, said: “I have run in London, Birmingham, Bristol, Lee-on-Solent, Forest of Dean, York, Wales, Somerset, Preston, Warwick and what feels like every road in Southport! “In all, I’ve run about 1,460 miles – the equivalent of running to Marrakech in Morocco or 55 marathons!” Andy is a key member of Bertie’s support community – Bertie’s Buccaneers. Bertie’s mum, Dr Alison Kay, said: “When your child is diagnosed with a rare progressive illness like muscular dystrophy, time is not on your side. Andy has really grasped the urgency of funding a scientific breakthrough. “Despite having a busy working and family life of his own, he has been out there running in the rain and wind, standing by his word. It has meant so much to Bertie, and to us, that someone was willing to do that for him.” Andy is hoping his runs will have raised £3,000 for the MD UK charity.

RUNNING TOTAL: Bertie and Buccaneer Andy

Advertising/sponsorship 0151 230 0307

email: sales@alltogethernow.org.uk IT Support: Ken Almond Website: Pharos Design www.alltogethernow.org.uk

NEXT EDITION

TUESDAY 4 February, 2020 All Together NOW! is published by All Together Now! Ltd, The Bradbury Centre, Youens Way, Liverpool L14 2EP Registered Charity No.1106387 Company No. 5096931

Siponimod (marketed as Mayzent) has been approved by the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use – part of the European Medicines Agency – and is now being appraised for use in the UK. Genevieve Edwards, director of external affairs at the MS Society, said: “This exciting step forward means siponimod could become the first oral disease modifying treatment licensed for “active” secondary progressive MS. MS is relentless, painful and disabling and this new drug provides a much needed option for people with this form of the condition. Once licensed, the next challenge is making sure siponimod is available on the NHS to everyone who could benefit. “Because siponimod only works on the immune system it won’t help everyone with secondary progressive MS – just those still experiencing relapses. “We can see a future where nobody needs to worry about their MS getting worse, but we need drugs that repair myelin and protect the nerves from damage. “Through our Stop MS Appeal, we hope to raise £100 million to find treatments for everyone with MS.”

THE hit TV series which helped spark a huge surge in organ donations is returning to Merseyside.

Editor: Tom Dowling

Editorial Support: Gerry Corner

A NEW drug to help some people with multiple sclerosis could be available in the UK in the summer.

Back to Hospital

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email: news@alltogethernow.org.uk

New drug for MS

A dream flight for your child?

TWO HUNDRED fun-loving and very determined children were given a dream trip to Florida, thanks to staff at British Airways. The children, who all have a serious illness or disability, were special guests of Dreamflight, the charity that gives young people the holiday of a lifetime. For the last 32 years, Dreamflight has raised funds to enable a specially chartered BA jumbo jet to fly children to the sunshine state, getting

them away for a 10-day trip – without their parents! The adventure is only made possible with support from the airline’s award-winning crew and Dreamflight doctors, nurses, physiotherapists and non-medics who care for the children around the clock during the trip. n Nominations for the 2020 trip open in February. Tel. 01494 722733. www.dreamflight.org

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Series five of BBC Two’s flagship programme Hospital will continue bringing “the most urgent and important stories from the frontline of the NHS today”, say the makers. The series has previously filmed in Nottingham and London and last year across six Trusts in Liverpool. Hospital has received widespread acclaim and helped bring about a 2,218% surge in the number of people signing up to be organ donors. Jackie Waldock, from Label1, who produce the series, said: “We are honoured and excited to be returning to Liverpool.”

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December/January 2020

How YOU can help keep this paper alive!

HERE’S how YOU can give All Together NOW! – and yourselves – a great Christmas gift … Your free and favourite charity newspaper has been selected as one of the Co-op’s good causes in its annual Local Community Fund programme. Sign up to be a member of the Co-op, select All Together NOW! (36854) as your cause, and we will start getting 1% of what you spend on certain products and services from now until October! What’s more, you will get an additional 5% to spend at any

Co-op food store, or towards any Coop legal costs or Co-op Funeralcare bills. It’s a win-win situation, and all it will cost you is the £1 membership fee. Last year, £17m was handed out to over 4,000 local causes across the UK. You can apply to become a member: n by phone: 0800 023 4708 n by picking up a temporary card in any Co-op food store n online: by visiting www.coop.co.uk/membership Check out our special Co-op page at ...

Fighting spirit!

www.membership.coop.co.uk/causes/36854

HE FIGHT is on to keep your FREE and favourite newspaper alive and kicking.

cannot get this kind of news and information elsewhere. It is a lifeline for many people. “Hopefully, other organisations will also be Thankfully, we have some able to help.” magnificent supporters on This is a huge boost our side. for us – a great way to When the Steve Morgan start 2020. Foundation got wind of our Rest assured, we will be plight, they immediately STEVE MORGAN CBE doing everything we can to stepped in and increased keep this paper rolling off the their sponsorship by £10k a year! presses and into your homes. Steve Morgan, chairman of the If you – or maybe an Steve Morgan Foundation, said: organisation you are involved with “All Together NOW! is our longest – can help in any way, I’d be supported charity. For 14 years the delighted to hear from you. newspaper has helped so many Meanwhile, I hope you enjoy this people, and we are very happy to info-packed festive edition. help get it through what is an From all of us here – especially difficult period. A Very Merry Christmas “The paper is so important to the community – and especially to the and a Happy New Year! huge numbers of older readers who TOM DOWLING, editor

tel 151 230 0307 news@alltogethernow.org.uk

Thanks, Robbie . . .

OUR warmest thoughts are sent to the family of the late Robert Canning, who until a few years ago, helped deliver tens of thousands of copies of All Together NOW! to supermarkets and health centres all over the North West. Robbie, as he was known to hundreds of his friends and colleagues, was also the main caretaker at the Bradbury Centre, home of Liverpoolbased blind charity Bradbury Fields, where his wife, Nita, also worked. Robbie loved helping people. When the chance came for him to help this newspaper, he jumped at the chance. “I love meeting people,” he’d say, “and some of them are so lonely. This paper helps them in so many ways – I see that every time I pass them a copy.” Robbie, 69, died on 26 October, six weeks after suffering a major stroke.

Talking adverts

THE country’s biggest retailers are being asked to follow the example of Proctor & Gamble, which last year committed to making all its TV adverts audio-described. Matt Stringer, RNIB chief executive, said: “There is absolutely no reason why retailers can’t audio describe their adverts. It’s easy to produce at a tiny fraction of the budget that big brands spend on their adverting campaigns.” Marks & Spencer and Asda have added audio description to their Christmas TV adverts.

It’s plane fairness

PASSENGERS with assistance dogs on flights and at airports could soon receive better services. Matthew Buffey, head of consumer protection at the Civil Aviation Authority, said: “We are seeking evidence to assist our understanding of the issues faced by assistance dog users when travelling by air.” The call for evidence is open until January 10. Responses can be submitted through the UK Civil Aviation Authority website, at: www.consultations.caa.co.uk/corporate -communications/assistance-dogs-callfor-evidence

NEWS

Cameras set to roll for budding film-makers

BUDDING film-makers with disabilities are getting the chance to develop their own five-minute short film. And they can obtain help applying for funding to get it made. Under the new Film Routes project – a new initiative from Film Hub North, BFI NETWORK and Beacon films – up to three filmmakers in the north of England will be selected to develop ideas for short films through a series of supported workshops, and will then pair them with a producer who will apply for BFI NETWORK Short Film funding. Roxy McKenna, at Film Hub North, said: “This is a brilliant opportunity for creative people with disabilities to develop their short film ideas and make vital industry connections.” Applications are open until noon, Friday January 17. n Beacon Films: Tel. 0191 580 7000.

Plea to online shops

ONLINE retailers are being urged to make their websites more user friendly for people with disabilities. Hilary Stephenson, managing director at user experience (UX) agency, Sigma, said: “There has been a step change in recent years as retailers welcome those of all abilities in-store. “However, there’s still lots to be done when it comes to online accessibility. “The responsibility is on all businesses, whatever their size or sector, to ensure their services are accessible – as nearly one in five people in the UK has a disability or impairment. “Better accessibility should not be an option, or consideration in hindsight, it should be a central customer experience consideration from the start.” Research by disability charity Purple revealed that three-quarters of disabled people have had to leave a store or website because they were unable to finish a purchase due to their disability.

DWP ads ‘misleading’

CONTROVERSIAL adverts praising the much-criticised universal credit benefit system breached Advertising Standards Authority rules. The ASA said claims made in the adverts – published in the Metro newspaper and on the MailOnline website – deliberately did not include DWP logos, making them look like news articles – were misleading and DWP failed to prove they were true. A DWP spokesperson said: “We are disappointed with this decision and have responded to the Advertising Standards Authority.”

Poorer kids losing out

DISABLED children in London are more likely to receive an inclusive education than those being educated anywhere else in England, according to a new report. The report, by education consultancy MIME, also found that more deprived areas have relatively smaller numbers of children receiving health and care plans, and lower attainment levels by disabled pupils.

December/January 2020

DISABILITY CHAMPION: Tim Fallowfield

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Supermarket success ONE of Sainsbury’s senior directors received a top award for his commitment to including disabled people in the workforce. Tim Fallowfield, company secretary and director of corporate services, received the Disability-Smart Senior Champion Award award at the annual Business Disability Forum’s awards.

Diane Lightfoot, CEO, Business Disability Forum, said: “These awards celebrate success, but we hope they will do much more than that. By sharing best practice, we want to show what can be done and what should be done. “One in five people are disabled, so it makes business sense for everyone to make disability inclusion a priority.”

TELLY BOSSES IN THE FIRING LINE

Broadcasters must do more to employ disabled people, says regulator

Volunteers, please

DO YOU want to help disabled people experience the thrill of cycling? The Wheels for All charity is keen to get more volunteers involved – and can provide you with all the training you’ll need. Ian Tierney, director of the charity, said: “We want to give everyone the chance to cycle regardless of ability, and we want more people to join us.” Training sessions are being arranged at Wheels for All’s Deeside (Leisure Centre) and Rhyl (Marsh Tracks) centres. There are also sessions being planned for the charity’s other North Wales venues. n Contact Ian on 01925 234213; 07709140910, or Janet Gregory, 07469 148 247

HE TV broadcasters needs to do more to increase the number of disabled people they employ, the regulator has warned.

Ofcom says that the proportion of disabled employees working in the UK-based TV industry remains at 6% for 2018-19 – the same as 2017-18. In its third annual Diversity and Equal Opportunities in Television report, it calls for a focus on this “continuing and significant under-representation of disabled people within the industry”. And the body criticises the five main broadcasters for failing to make more progress in the last year. It is particularly critical of Viacom, which owns Channel 5, and Sky. Channel 4 leads the way on representation, with 11% of its staff self-defining as disabled people, followed by BBC at 10%, and Viacom at 8%. ITV and Sky trail far behind with 4% and 3% respectively. Although the report focuses on the five main broadcasters, Ofcom also found that just 1% of UK staff of broadcasters not based in the UK are disabled. David Proud, a disabled actor, writer and producer, and a member of Ofcom’s new diversity panel, said broadcasters had to “stop thinking about disability as a risk”. He said: “There’s a lot of unconscious

bias… it’s not going to cost you a fortune to have disabled artists on your set. “It’s not going to be any more risky for your project, it’s going to add value and it’s going to add authenticity. He added: “I can’t wait until we have a disabled person as a commissioner… as soon as we get disabled people at the highest level of our industry, it will all just be a lot better.” But Ofcom did acknowledge there had been some positive developments. The BBC has promised that disabled people will make up 12% of its workforce by the end of 2022. Channel 4 has said it will shortly announce a major disability initiative in the lead-up to the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, with the aim of supporting 100 disabled people to progress their careers in television. Channel 4 is also planning to publish its first

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disability pay gap figures, which the BBC continues to publish annually. ITV has held a series of disability awareness-raising events in the last year, with a focus on invisible impairments, and has announced a set of diversity targets for 2022 which include increasing representation of disabled people to 8%. ITV is also working with Microlink, the assistive technology company. And Viacom has continued to work with a consultant to create a more inclusive environment for disabled employees. Ofcom also praised the five main broadcasters for their “bold and ambitious goal” of doubling the percentage of disabled people working in television by 2020.

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RECORD ENTRY FOR OUR

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EAN Barnes loves caring for others. It’s something she and her late husband, Charles, have done all their lives.

“It’s something that just comes naturally,” said Jean. “We’ve always tried to help other people, to share our time with others.” Well, Jean is is about to share more than just her time! She’s the lucky winner of our fantastic Park Christmas hamper competition – and it’s all thanks to her daughter, Linda, who picked up a copy of All Together NOW! while visiting

All Together NOW!

December/January 2020

Great for Planes, Trains and Automobiles!

the Countess of Chester Hospital and entered the competition on her behalf. “I really didn’t know that Linda had entered the competition for me,” said Jean, from Upton-byChester. “We are big fans of All Together NOW! It’s so full of news you don’t see anywhere else and always makes you feel good.” The monster hamper, worth £572, is packed with all sorts of goodies. Jean added: “I can’t wait to tell all my friends – especially two of

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the people I care for, one who is 102, the other 103! They’ll be so excited – almost as much as I am at the thought of being able to share this fabulous prize with all of them and my wonderful family. “I just can’t thank Park enough for this fabulous prize and for supporting this great newspaper.” Appreciate Group CEO Ian O’Doherty said: “We are delighted for Jean and her family. It’s great to know that our top of the range Empire hamper is going to be enjoyed by so many people.”

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You can pay for Christmas 2020 early! As the UK’s largest family Christmas savings club, we’re here to help you spread the cost for the most joyful Christmas you can imagine. Pay bit by bit throughout the year and just like that, you’ll have Christmas all sorted.

Order online at www.getpark.co.uk/atn

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We are a founder member of the CPA which has developed a Code of Practice, which we must adhere to in order to provide customers with the best possible service and to improve the protection of customers’ money.

All Together NOW!

Disabled people work 57 days ‘for nothing’

DISABLED people will effectively work for free 57 days of the year because of the huge gap between their earnings and those of non-disabled employees, new TUC research has shown. The TUC say the average disabled worker receives about £1.65 an hour, or 15%, less than the average non-disabled worker. Disabled women face an even higher pay gap than disabled men. People with learning difficulties face a pay gap of 62.6% and those with diabetes have a gap of 22.8%. There are also regional differences, with the largest disability pay gap in the east of England (21.8%), and the lowest in the south-west (8.5%), with the gap in the north-west at 9.1%, Wales at 17.7%, Scotland at 12.4%, and London at 13.5%. The report says the causes of the disability pay gap include the higher proportion of disabled people working part-time, which tends to be lower paid than full-time work; disabled workers being more likely to be in lower-paid industries such as care work, leisure and customer services; and disabled people being less likely to be in higher-paid roles such as managers or directors. The gap is also caused by lower levels of educational qualifications.

Closing the jobs gap

THE slow progress in improving job prospects for disabled people could be transformed by employment agencies. That’s the message from the body representing jobs agencies, who urged recruiters to use their expertise to close the disability employment gap. Taking on disabled workers is far behind where it should be, with the Government’s target to reduce the gap to 16% by 2020 in jeopardy, says the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo). APSCo chief Ann Swain said: “There is no one better placed than recruiters to help steer employers in creating a more diverse and inclusive workforce.”

Students’ grants fears

BIG changes to the way disabled students are assessed for support risk mimicking the Government’s muchcriticised Personal Independence Payment, campaigners warn. The changes will mean the closure of the indpendent charity that has ensured assessments of disabled students are carried out properly. The Disabled Students Allowances Quality Assurance Group was being shut down this month and student leaders fear the decision is part of a cost-cutting exercise. DSA payments are non-means-tested grants that help with a disabled student’s extra disability-related costs. Young people’s lives could be dramatically affected by the changes, according to National Union of Students disabled students officer Piers Wilkinson. Mr Wilkinson, himself in receipt of the DSA, said: “The worst case scenario is that disabled students effectively get the equivalent of PIP assessors carrying out their assessments.”

December/January 2020

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Is it time for you to open up . . ? NEWS

OU’RE at work in a job you enjoy, except for one thing – you keep bumbling about the place in an odd manner, feeling a bit of a fool.

You might even chuckle occasionally, trying to laugh at yourself and hopefully colleagues will laugh a bit with you. Underneath the humour is probably a smouldering annoyance at not being able to do what you once achieved without thinking. You are irritated with yourself and with a rising sense of frustration. Becoming the office clown is not what you want. On you go, stumbling into desks and cabinets, tripping over stools, chairs, and waste-paper baskets. When you bump apologetically into the water-cooler it’s probably a good time to stop and think about where you are really going. If that doesn’t convince you that it’s time to take action, when you’ve started a conversation with the caretaker, mistakenly thinking it was your manager, you might change your mind. Of course, taking a walk down the High

DANIEL WILLIAMS, boss of Visualise Training and Consultancy, highlights the importance of facing up to sight loss at work

street on your lunchbreak, when you drop into Top Man or Top Shop to look at the jackets and crash headlong into the mirror might persuade you to accept you need some help…but talking to a mannequin on a display stand in the centre of the shop takes some beating! Then there is that feeling of dependency. This is the worst thing. You lose control. You are vulnerable. You’re reliant on that nice colleague who offers to drive you around the

place. You can no longer make active decisions for yourself or voice an opinion about anything because you’re frightened. A colleague at work may tell you about a support group for people who are blind. No, no, no! You tell yourself you can’t do that. You’re different, you’re not really like other blind people. And on you go. There is another, better, solution…be proud of who you are! Open up. Talk about your low vision to your manager in a positive, transparent way. Crucially, ask your employer about getting a workplace assessment and some training to enable you to be independent. Start feeling empowered. Show your boss and your work colleagues who you really are. Stop hiding. Forget bumping around and making a fool of yourself. Come out blind. Begin to live again: with freedom, independence and laughing at real humour, not just at yourself.

FAILED . . . BY THE CRUELEST OF CUTS

‘Councils starved of vital cash for visually impaired’

HOUSANDS of children and young people with a vision impairment are being failed by underfunding, a new report reveals.

Research by the Royal National Institute of Blind People shows nearly half of councils have cut or frozen funds for specialist education supporting 10,925 visually impaired (VI) children over the last two years. A further 7,539 young people are accessing services whose budgets have failed to keep up with inflation – meaning real term funding cuts, says the RNIB report, Left Out Of Learning. Despite a 7% rise in the number of children and young people requiring and accessing specialist support, more than a third of councils have reported a decrease in Qualified Teachers of Vision Impairment. QTVIs are central to making mainstream education accessible for visually impaired children and young people. Keith Valentine, RNIB director of development, said: “Children and young people with vision impairment require specialist support to access the curriculum, navigate school, take part in sports and learn on equal terms with sighted children. “This vital support enables them to develop the

n Daniel Williams was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa at the age of 8. www.visualisetrainingandconsultancy.com

ZOE Pennington is one of many mums who are worried about future services for their visually impaired children. Her five-year-old son, Jake, has oculocutaneous albinism, nystagmus (involuntary eye movement) and photophobia (light sensitivity). He currently has one-to-one support within his year one class and has a support teacher from the visual impairment team who visits him once a week. Zoe, whose council in Wigan has cut its funding by 5.3%, said: “The specialist support teacher has been an absolute lifesaver. She knows exactly what Jake needs to have in place and has been able to work with his teachers to make sure he’s being taught in the best possible way. “If the council makes budget essential skills they need to succeed, not just at cuts and reduces his support, I school, but as adults with full lives. don’t know how he will be able to “Our research revealed a shocking lack of keep up in class. resource for local authorities to deliver this crucial “It’s a real concern for the provision. whole family. We just want him to “With more than £14 billion being promised for be able to primary and secondary education between now and learn 2023, we are urging the Government to act now as every and correct this funding gap to ensure every child other with vision impairment is able to fulfil their potential.” child n RNIB Helpline: Tel. 0303 123 9999. can.”

CONCERN: For Zoe and Jake

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All Together NOW!

December/January 2020

Groundbreaking ceremony at Maggies Clatterbridge

WHAT A YEAR!

HE shovels are out and the digging is under way at the Steve Morgan Foundation’s biggest capital programme – the new Maggie’s Centre, located at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre, Wirral. Steve Morgan CBE, Chairman of the

Steve Morgan Foundation, said: “So many people have been affected by cancer, or know someone who has been affected by cancer. “The work undertaken by the staff at Maggie’s Centres across the country offers invaluable practical and emotional support when people who are

being treated – and their families and friends need it most. “All of our trustees are delighted to be able to make such a substantial investment and that Alexis Redmond has agreed to Chair the Board of Maggie’s Merseyside to oversee the launch of the appeal to raise funds for

019 has been another record year for the Steve Morgan Foundation, taking our total giving in the last five years to over £32 million.

We have continued to distribute a range of major grants, regional grants, Enable funding for specialised equipment and Smiley Buses to so many different charities and community groups which have such a positive impact at the grass roots level of society. It is always difficult to pick out highlights, because for all of the trustees and staff of the Foundation, the importance of what we do is knowing that every single grant – whatever its value – is going to help to change the lives of those people who will benefit. It is always worth remembering that what sets us apart from a lot of other charities is the care and attention we give to our funding programme, not only during the application phase but right the way through the process. No multi-year grant is awarded without us having made a personal visit to the applying organisation, and trustees and staff will then remain in close touch with that charity or community group both during the lifespan of the funding and to receive

feedback at its conclusion. We believe that is hugely important, because we are also there as a sounding board to offer advice or any other potential help to our supported charities who are doing such wonderful work, often with very few members of staff or volunteers, and limited resources. The enthusiasm and creativity shown by so many of those working in the Third Sector can never be

underestimated, and that is why we decided to bring back the Steve Morgan Foundation Awards this year, which made for an inspirational end to our second annual conference staged at Carden Park in September. Our Awards and Conference was another truly magical day, with an incredible buzz and atmosphere around the room as people were able to share ideas and best practice and go away

www.stevemorganfoundation.org.uk Tel 01829 782808

the ongoing running costs.” The project is part of a £5 million donation to build two new Maggie’s centres, one to replace the existing centre at Clatterbridge, Wirral and then another at Royal Liverpool Hospital in the City Centre.

refreshed and re-invigorated to continue to develop and progress at their own respective charities. We head into 2020 with so much to look forward to, not just with continuing to distribute funding in our four supported regions, but also to see further progress with major initiatives such as the new Maggie’s Centre at Clatterbridge and an exciting new project involving several major agencies from the world of education. On behalf of everyone at the Foundation, we wish all the readers of All Together Now a very happy and peaceful Christmas, and say thank you to all of those we have worked with during 2019. Our Children’s Christmas Party at Carden Park is another magical way to mark the festive period, and has provided so much fun and entertainment for everyone over so many years. It is always a fantastic afternoon which makes so many wonderful memories. May I also wish you a Happy New Year and all the very best for 2020.

Steve Morgan Foundation

STEVE MORGAN CBE Chairman Steve Morgan Foundation

@stevemorganfdn

NEWS

December/January 2020

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Dental hygiene: Care homes must do more

BETTER dental treatment for care home residents is being demanded after the horrific case of a 93-year-old woman was revealed. The care home resident, who is blind and has dementia, needed a denture to be surgically removed after it was left in her mouth for a month, causing her gums to grow over it. British Dental Association bosses say the case highlights the lack of oral health care in residential homes, which in some cases is virtually non-existent. A new Care Quality Commission report on the state of plans, policies and provision for oral health in care homes has been welcomed by the BDA. Based on findings from 100 care homes, the CQC found that 52% did not even have an oral health plan for residents and 47% of staff never receive training specific to dental care.Charlotte Waite, Chair of the BDA’s England Community Dental Services Committee said: “There are residents left unable to eat, drink and communicate, as an underfunded and overstretched NHS struggles to provide the care they need. “We require nothing short of a revolution in the approach to dentistry in residential homes.”

Give us a break . . .

HUNDREDS of thousands of people looking after loved ones are going without enough sleep – or even seeing a doctor. Just one in 12 of England’s unpaid carers responding to Carers UK’s breaks survey – the majority of whom provide over 50 hours of care every week – say they have been able to take a sufficient break from caring. Of those who did manage to take a few hours off, almost half used the time to attend a medical appointment. The cost and quality of replacement care, as well as not knowing where to get information about taking a break, are the most common reasons for carers being left without this fundamental right. Carers UK’s chief executive, Helen Walker, said: “Unpaid carers propping up our underfunded social care system are burning out and desperately need time off from their caring roles to look after themselves. “The £1.5 billion injection into the system will stabilise it for now, but we must see a longer term strategy for social care that acknowledges the enormous contribution of unpaid carers, includes double the funding for carers’ breaks and puts breaks at the heart of social care reforms.” n Carers UK Helpline: Tel. 0808 808 7777

Find YOUR local Carers Centre – p19

YOUNG AT HEART: Don Ameche, Hume Cronyn and Wilford Brimley in the film Cocoon in which they are able to be young again. Could this idea become a reality . . ?

WE CAN ALL BE YOUNG AGAIN

Tackling ageing could be Britain’s next major industry

IGHTY year olds could one day be running round like people half a century younger, a top ageing expert has told politicians.

ageing mechanism because in experimental animals where it has proved possible to delete these cells these animals showed enormous increase in their health. UK scientists possess the expertise to “If you delete senescent cells in these slow or even reverse the ageing process, mice they ran about three times as hard a Parliamentary committee was told. and as fast as their little mates who are Britain could be at the forefront of still full of senescent cells. combatting the ageing process, said “I did some back-of-the-envelope Professor Richard Faragher, the calculations for what this would mean (for) University of Brighton’s Professor of a human and effectively it would rather be Biogerontology. EXPERT: Prof Faragher like taking somebody of eighty, putting The House of Lords’ Science and something in their drinking water for a few Technology Committee was told that experiments had weeks and watching them jog like a person of thirty.” shown great increases in the health of animals. Lord Patel, the committee chair, jokingly volunteered Prof Faragher said one of the culprits of ageing was senescent cells, cells that go rogue and start secreting for experimental treatment! Prof Faragher added: “If Government leads, funds chemicals that damage the body. Older bodies were basic research properly, establishes the full translation less good at getting rid of them. pipeline that our clinical and pharmaceutical He said: “At the start of your life, every time you colleagues (are proposing), if we do these things then make a senescent cell it is almost always dealt with this country could build up a formidable industrial base pretty swiftly. By the time you are my age it is more on in this area.” the lines of ‘Hello, this is your immune system, your The committee will use the information to help its call is important to us but we are experiencing high inquiry into how science and technology can enable volumes (of calls), please stay on this line’.” healthier living in old age. He said if senescent cells were eliminated then the HEALTHZONE – P21 result could be dramatic: “We know this is a major

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Help on way for Forces’ families

THE largest survey of its kind by a national military charity will lead to life-changing support being offered to Armed Forces personnel caring for loved ones with dementia. The survey conducted by the RAF Association – the charity that supports the RAF family’s wellbeing – revealed the unique circumstances of military personnel battling to provide personal care for relatives from afar. The research shows there are increased pressures on carers serving in the military due to often being deployed outside of their home area, sometimes at short notice and overseas. Alzheimer’s Society figures show more than 112,000 people across all employment sectors have had to give up their job in the past year, with many retiring early because of their caring commitments. Rory O’Connor, the RAF Association’s Director of Welfare and Policy, said the Association was now working with Alzheimer’s Society to develop solutions to help prevent a workplace crisis in the Armed Forces. Flight Lieutenant Rosie Brooks, whose mother was diagnosed with early stage Alzheimer’s Disease early this year, said the strain of trying to care for her mother, who lives in Worcester, while serving in the RAF in Whitehall soon began to take its toll on her. She said: “My whole life was flipped upside down overnight. I found the social care system difficult to navigate, and I struggled to look after my mum. “While the RAF has helped a great deal by enabling me to work flexibly, it’s still frustrating to only be able to give my mum a couple of days per week.” n National Dementia Helpline: Tel. 0300 2221122.

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December/January 2020

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Insulate your water pipes for a carefree Christmas Insulating the water pipes in your home will protect them from freezing and bursting and a simple job thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s well worth doing. Follow our top tips to protect your home this winter and save yourself the misery of frozen and burst water pipes:

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Time to wrap up! Dark nights, cold snaps and wrapping up ZDUP ,W FDQ RQO\ PHDQ RQH WKLQJĂ¨ ZLQWHUĂ V here! Getting your home ready for the cold ZHDWKHU DQG DOO LW EULQJV PHDQV \RXĂ UH PRUH likely to stay warm and happy and enjoy a hassle free winter. Rose Francis from United Utilities says: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Insulating your water pipes to protect them from the cold will save the hassle and expense if they freeze and burst. We want our customers to enjoy a carefree &KULVWPDV 7KH JRRG QHZV LV LWĂ V UHDOO\ HDV\ to prevent this from happening.â&#x20AC;? Go to unitedutilities.com/winterwise for great tips from Craig Phillips, former Big Brother winner and DIY expert on how to keep your home warm and welcoming this winter.

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December/January 2020

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Alarming suicide rates for male engineers

ONE in five engineers have lost a work colleague to suicide, while more than a fifth of engineers have considered suicide or self-harm, with men 3.5 times more likely to have said so. The alarming statistics come from the Masculinity in Engineering survey, which questioned over 800 engineers. One respondent said: “Masculinity is a prison and a prize, strictly required of men but still more heavily penalised in women.” Mark McBride-Wright, the head of inclusion consultancy EqualEngineers said: “Engineering is a traditionally male, white dominated sector. It can be very lonely, if you feel even a little bit ‘different’ to the supposed ‘norm’. “Not being able to be open about who you are, because of attitudes and lack of diversity around you can lead to mental health issues and decreased wellbeing. “We need to create a culture where men can be vulnerable.”

New help for students

UNIVERSITY students across Greater Manchester are to get new help to overcome mental illness under a new NHS pilot scheme. About 500 students a year are expected to use the £1.6m service, which is being provided in the heart of the Oxford Road campus and satellite locations in Salford and Bolton. Additional group therapy is provided by mental health charity 42nd Street, while the Sick! Festival will also provide arts-based events to involve students. Last year, a review by Universities UK found a dramatic increase in the numbers of students seeking help for mental health difficulties, a trebling in the drop-out rate and evidence that only a third of students would know how to access mental health services.

Mental health training

A NEW online guide to help employers spot the signs of mental health conditions and to offer advice is available via the Business Disability Forum’s website. Diane Lightfoot, head of BDF, said: “Recent research shows that only 13% of managers have attended specific training on mental health. “Being aware of the signs of mental illness, and having the confidence and knowledge to discuss concerns, can help ensure colleagues receive support in good time and can prevent mental health problems escalating” n www.business disability forum.org.uk

SMARTEN UP FASHION AMBASSADORS: TV presenters Sophie Morgan and Mark Lane are backing a campaign aimed at the fashion industry

Time the High Street stocked clothing for all

OST of us like to look smart – but just finding clothes that fit you properly is an impossible task for most disabled people.

Wheelchair TV presenters Mark Lane and Sophie Morgan are now backing a new campaign to get the fashion industry to sit up and listen. visualise whether the clothing would suit them in CRITICISMS of mainstream clothes included Mark said: “It is time that the first place. “seams, buttons and zips that can be high street stores stock a full “It is difficult to follow the trends if you really uncomfortable” or “too fiddly”, a lack of jeans range of clothing for all. It love fashion, but don’t ever see them on and trousers “that are both comfortable to sit in would also be great to see someone like yourself,” one respondent said. for a long time and look good” and “sizes (that) more disabled models The lack of accessible clothing not only means showcasing everyday clothes. don’t fit their shape”. disabled shoppers are limited in choice for style The lack of mannequins modelling the clothes “Just think how enlightening and comfort, but also in the materials they wear. also made it difficult for some shoppers to it would be if more shops had window displays with disabled models looking strong, trend’ too. Yet, with mainstream brands failing fashion is not readily available for disabled powerful and at the same time elegant, to consider disability in their designs, disabled customers, specialised brands are not always comfortable and fashionable.” people are often being left without the option a viable alternative. Sophie said: “While there have been some to shop from the retailers they are most drawn Just one in 10 respondents said they bought positive developments in the industry, such as to and priced out of the market by adaptive from adaptive clothing brands or ranges. more disabled models on the catwalk and a ranges.” Respondents described these brands as growing number of disabled beauty bloggers, Joshua added: “We hope more mainstream being: “expensive”, “(having) not enough there is still some way to go before fashion is brands will consider accessibility in their range”, “much more (expensive) than truly inclusive.” product designs. mainstream and not as fashionable”, “old Mark and Sophie are both ambassadors of The alienation of a potentially huge untapped fashioned” and “aimed at older people and the Leonard Cheshire Disability charity, which market makes little economic sense and our young children.” has just published findings from its joint Leonard Cheshire’s campaign officer Joshua research suggests disabled shoppers are fashion survey with Disability Horizons. keener than ever to engage with their brands.” Reeves said: “Disabled people want to be ‘on The survey revealed that while mainstream

Seams, buttons and zips – they’re some of the problems

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December/January 2020

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Access victory over rail replacement vehicles

THE HIGH LIFE UP FOR IT: The amputee team on the way to Mount Kilimanjaro’s summit

Kilimanjaro team show ‘anything’s possible!’

TEAM of novice climbers – all with with amputations – scaled Mount Kilimanjaro . . . and raised £30,000 for limb loss charities in the process!

Four reached the summit, while underfoot conditions were just too much of an ordeal for the others. Damian Harper, trustee of the St Helensbased Amputation Foundation Trustee, said: “I’m so incredibly proud of us all. I didn’t reach the top, but I reached my Kilimanjaro! Damian, 50, added: “I had bone cancer when I was 17 and lost one leg but I have done lots of really good things. “For me, this was a personal thing because doctors said I would never walk again. “My personal goal was to be the first hip disarticulation amputee to summit with a prosthetic leg, unfortunately my socket failed and I had to stop on safety grounds. “My main aim for our group was to show other amputees that life can continue post amputation, that it can actually be a new beginning. “We are all everyday amputees using

TRAIN companies have been warned they must ensure all rail replacement vehicles are accessible to disabled people – or risk criminal prosecution. The warning comes from the rail regulator – the Office of Road and Rail – after campaigner Doug Paulley threatened legal action against a train company. Mr Paulley said the company’s failure to ensure its replacement vehicles were accessible was making “travel substantially more difficult for many disabled people”. A spokesman for the Rail Delivery Group, which represents the companies running Britain’s railway, said: “We will ensure that people with accessibility needs can continue their journey in a vehicle that complies with the latest regulations, which could be a coach, minibus or taxi, depending on availability and the number of other people travelling.”

Offenders on camera

DISABLED people suffering repeated discrimination on public transport are being offered cameras to record video evidence for possible legal cases. Legal firm Fry Law, which specialises in disability discrimination cases, hopes it can be used to bring cases against bus, train and taxi providers. The miniature cameras have a remote control pad and can be fixed to wheelchairs, scooters and clothing to allow filmed evidence to be collected. Chris Fry, founder of Fry Law, said he hoped the cameras would help the Equality and Human Rights Commission compile evidence and encourage disabled people to enforce their rights. n www.frylaw. co.uk

Be more mindful

standard prosthetics. It was an honour to be part of this team.” Four climbers with leg amputations reached the summit, including Kiera Roche, CEO of the Limbpower charity. Kiera, a former BBC events manager, had already organised and taken part in fundraising expeditions including hiking seven miles along the Great Wall of China, cycling from Lands End to John O’Groats and trekking through Cuba. But the Kilimanjaro climb stretched her to the limit. She said: “This was the most challenging thing I have undertaken. It required both physical and mental toughness to get through each day and to reach the summit – a huge feat for a team of amputees. “It wasn’t just about pushing our personal limits, but also about leading the way to show other people with limb loss and limb difference that anything is possible with the right support

tel 0151 230 0307

and equipment,” added Keira. “This challenge was always a high-risk expedition with very little knowledge about how the prosthetics would perform at altitude and under duress, the team were pretty much climbing blind. “Nothing you read or watch can prepare you for the long days, altitude and tiredness of sleeping in a tent in the wilderness for eight days.” With Keira at the summit was Anne Garland, who at 62 became the world’s oldest above knee amputee to scale the mountain. Chris Linnitt and Rebecca Legon continued on for another 3-4 hours and reached the 3rd Uruhu Summit. Rebecca was the first amputee to complete the challenge in a speedy time of under 12 hours, and Chris battled through immense discomfort as his prosthetic leg had broken. Other climbers were Tracy Kitto, Mick Kirby and Simon Grater, who also has Type 1 diabetes.

A NEW campaign is about to get under way asking the public to be “more mindful” of disabled passengers when they use public transport. The Department for Transport (DfT) campaign, It’s Everyone’s Journey, has been backed by British Airways, LNER and the Rail Delivery Group.

Deaf team scoop £30k

THE founder of the UK’s first sign language counselling service scooped the top £30,000 prize at the Stelios Awards for Disabled Entrepreneurs. Victoria brought together a large team of sign language therapists who provide mental health counselling to deaf people all over the UK and Ireland. The Deaf4Deaf team, who are based around the country, offer sessions in person or via video call. n Deaf4Deaf, tel 07539 877357. Text 07736 835445

sales@alltogethernow.org.uk

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Don’t be caught COLD

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RICHARD GLADMAN, head of driving at IAM RoadSmart, offers some expert advice on winter motoring . . .

Y BEST advice is to avoid travelling in extreme weather. If no one is moving, you just add to the problem - so listen to travel advice. If you do have to travel in bad weather, plan your journey thoroughly. Think about where you are going and what it will be like all the way along the journey. If you can, avoid travelling on less-used roads or country lanes as these are less likely to be gritted. Before setting off, clear all your windows and mirrors fully. Try and clear

snow piled on the roof of your car and the bonnet too, as it can fall and blow on to the windscreen. Don’t leave anything obscured. Start your car gently from stationary and avoid high revs. If road conditions are extremely icy and you drive a manual car, you should move off in a higher

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December/January 2020

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gear rather than first gear. You should stay in a higher gear to avoid wheel

spin. It’s important you get your speed right when travelling in snow. Never drive too fast that you risk losing control, and don’t drive so slowly that you risk losing momentum for getting up a slope. Increase your following distance from the vehicle in front of you. If you break down or have to pull over on a motorway or dual carriageway, you should – if possible – leave your vehicle, but never stay in front of it. Make sure you have a shovel, torch, blanket, jump leads and tow rope – and keep your mobile phone fully charged with the number of your recovery organisation saved into it. A bottle of water and a snack is also a must. Finally, check for petrol stations, and listen to the weather forecast.

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December/January 2020

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Irton House Farm

HAPPY HO LID AWARD 2 AY 012!

A warm welcome is waiting for you at our superbly scenic, fully accessible self catering cottages in the Lake District.

WALK on the WILD side ALPACA ADVENTURE: All Together Now for a morning stroll with a difference in the Lake District

www.irtonhousefarm.com 017687 76380

By Nikki Logan

ALKING with alpacas, sailing, kayaking, climbing, exploring the countryside – activities you might not associate with people with dementia.

But the charity Dementia Adventure wants to change all that. One way is through their unique holidays like their recent autumn trip to the Lakes. Catherine Reed, Head of Adventures at the charity, thrives on the feedback they receive from those attending their trips and the difference it makes to WINGING IT: A day to remember with birds of prey their everyday life activities. access to resources that make the trips “Our trips are as much for the family carers really special.” as they are for those with dementia,” she The holidaymakers were based at the said. “Caring for someone with dementia can Woodlands Country House Hotel in Ireby, be a lonely place, and actually being with where the group had exclusive use of the other people who understand and having a comfortable and private grounds. break from the norm is often a holiday for Activities included a cruise on them in itself. Derwentwater, shopping and lunch in “The most common feedback we receive Caldbeck, a guided walk along The Howk; a from families is that they don’t have to limestone gorge with waterfalls and the apologise or explain all the time; they can picturesque ruins of an old bobbin mill, a just enjoy doing normal things. birds of prey show, a visit to a gin distillery “Our recent holiday in the Lake District and Keswick Museum, walking with alpacas was a fantastic example of this – the fact that it rained for most of the week didn’t stop at a local farm, and live music performances at the Woodlands Country House Hotel in anyone from getting out and about or affect Ireby, where the group were based. their enjoyment at all. Catherine added: “Everyone needs a “We always make sure our itinerary is holiday; especially if you’re living with flexible, and in this case, we had Fraser dementia. We’re grateful for the funding Dooley from local charity Amy’s Care to Dementia Adventure receives and the thank for his can-do attitude and fantastic dedication of its wonderful volunteers to local knowledge. make this possible.” “He is a huge support to Dementia n Dementia Adventure: Tel. 01245 237548. Adventure’s holidays in the region with

All Together NOW!

December/January 2020

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Lesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s back shed bike goes global!

INâ&#x20AC;&#x2C6;THEâ&#x20AC;&#x2C6;HOTâ&#x20AC;&#x2C6;SEAT: Lewis tries out the new trike that Les built with mum Dawn and Abhishek Pratap Singh, the head of design at Hero Cycles

HEN Les McMahon heard that his neighbourâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s son needed a specially designed trike that would let him go cycling with his family, he got out his tools and built one!

Now, Lesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s prototype is being refined by one of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top cycling manufacturers and is almost ready to go on worldwide sale â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and at a fraction of the cost of others on the market. Les, from Worsley, Manchester, designed the original trike in his garden shed to enable 13-year-old neighbour Lewis Flint to get out on the roads. Lewis is unable to walk, communicates

through an aid, and relies on others for his personal care. He enjoys rock climbing and skiing, but cycling was the one hobby his family had struggled with. Lesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s solution involves a â&#x20AC;&#x153;sidecarâ&#x20AC;? fitted to a bike, with a ramp to roll on the wheelchair. Les is working with designers at Insync Bikes, Manchester â&#x20AC;&#x201C; owned by Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hero Cycles, the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest bike maker by volume â&#x20AC;&#x201C; to perfect the trikes, which will be available in flat-pack kits. While Lewis is still enjoying the prototype trike, Insyncâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s designers have recreated it in a computer programme to allow them to

make and test alterations before it is rolled out to others. Areas they have concentrated on have included the attachment points, the flatpack design and the width of the vehicle. Les said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;It might take 10 goes for us to get the design right but bearing in mind we want this to go worldwide then we have to get it right.â&#x20AC;?

Danny Evans, the chief executive of Avocet Sports, the UK subsidiary of Hero Cycles, said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have been absolutely blown away by Lesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s invention and his enthusiasm for helping Lewis. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We now want to translate that and help families with a trike that is affordable,â&#x20AC;? added Danny.

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HITTING SIXTY – ON T

All Together NOW!

December/January 2020

TANDING poolside, aged 11, in a decaying Victorian public baths, the reek of bleach mixed with urine fuelling my nausea, I am given a simple choice. Jump in, or get changed and don’t come back.

Other than brief humiliation, the abrupt conclusion to my first and last childhood swimming lesson established not only my terror of water, but my fear of life itself, a fear that would remain, on and off, through the teenage years, through all the years considered to be one’s prime, and beyond. Half a century later, on the brink of my 60th birthday, I study the Atlantic rollers, having finally found the nerve to act on a lifetime’s ambition and place my trust in 23inch-wide polyethylene platform moving at speed through the wildest ocean on earth. This is the story of that journey, from a boy told by his teacher he was the least likely person ever to say “no”, through years of social anxiety, depression, zero self-belief and chronic fatigue, to the about-to-be sexagenarian, at last achieving peace with himself, and knowing his best years, God willing and surfing tragedies excepted, are to come. My connection to water has mirrored my life, Shortly before that swimming lesson, I walked into secondary school for the first time and everything changed. Gone the homely primary in whose embrace I felt valued and safe. In its place, intimidation on an industrial scale; peers intent on exploiting weakness, teachers whose first instinct was to punish, not praise.

www.alltogether

All Together NOW!’s GERRY COR on achieving peace with himself after years of depression, fears and anxiety

Languishing

Each Monday the trauma of a new school week left its mark in the form of a brutal headache. Even now, it’s hard to fathom how that happy, academically bright, confident child could become so rapidly and profoundly drained of self-esteem, languishing in the bottom third of the class, every muscle taut with tension, body on constant high alert. The tone was set. In my working life I hid, avoided, shrank into my seat. Abandoned by articulacy, I dared not enter into conversation, knowing – from grim experience – that even if I found courage to begin a sentence, my brain would stop dead long before I reached its end, resulting in embarrassment, confusion and further confirmation of my low self-worth. Everything in my physicality reflected frail mental health: body stooped, shoulders slumped, my gait uncomfortably self-conscious. Occasionally I tipped into depression, the worst of times, a round-the-clock churning stomach – that physical manifestation of grim apprehension – broken only by sleep or alcohol. Drink brought blurry relief, but at a cost; as the effect wore off, the churning returned, only all the more intensely. Through it all, I clung to the belief that there was another me, a better me; the life and soul, lucid, calm, content. I was shut in a dark room with no way out, no windows, just a locked door with a tiny slit presenting a tantalising view of a beautiful, bright world outside. I must not overstate it, there were good times too. I had friends, laughter, lovers, the glory of

children. Fun came intermittently, some drinkfuelled, sometimes courtesy of Prozac, or CBT, psychotherapy or hypnotherapy; I tried them all. Other times precious minutes’ peace of mind were bought by running long and hard until my heart felt like it would explode. None of it lasted, all of it achieved on shaky foundations. The sea soothed and scared me. Standing at Mizen Head, Ireland’s most south-westerly point, as a spring tide forces gargantuan waves crashing on to the cliffs, you understand its terrifying power. Walking a Mediterranean shoreline as the sun dips gently into late afternoon, you know its capacity to heal. Surfing seemed the ultimate physical expression of freedom, but one I would merely witness, not experience. Born in Liverpool, beside the Mersey estuary, salt water courses my veins. I don’t remember a time when I did not love the sea, its motions and rhythms and melodies. Yet for all its solace, it would take an age for my dread of it to recede. In my thirties, I began in earnest to address that ambivalence. Through sheer persistence I managed

a couple of makeshift strokes, starting waist deep and barely an arm’s length from the edge of the pool. Eventually, I could splash inelegantly from one side to the other, but still confined, physically and figuratively, to the shallows. Meantime, after decades of stress something had to give and in 2011 I was diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome. CFS, otherwise known as ME, has several suggested causes but it’s widely accepted that those whose lives are marked by anxiety and self-criticism are susceptible.

Rock bottom

There followed several years of low mood, exhaustion and, at rock bottom, inability to work, denial of benefits. My search for a remedy finally took me to Wales and a course employing Neuro Linguistic Programming, an alternative therapy which they use to harness the power of the brain to break negative habits. Still, more years would be needed for lessons learned in Carmarthenshire to bear fruit. After so long trapped in a bleak mindset, it was to take time.

I was turning round an ocean liner. A toolki therapies, together with yoga, meditation, and exercise all contributed to an increasin wellness. Finally, the foundations were in p NLP underpinning it all. As my confidence increased, so did my c the water. Eighteen months before checkin Surf School Lanzarote, I finally touched the point of the pool, and it was around then th began to believe surfing might become mo fantasy. And so, with my sixties mere days away, myself off Africa’s west coast, at Playa de Shangri La for surfers, golden sands fringe great shard of imposing volcanic cliff. Prep excited. Terrified too; for some of us, turnin back on a wave moving fast enough to kno off your feet and hoping for the best calls f certain courage. By good fortune, Vicky, my brilliant Polish instructor, differs from her colleagues in on unlike they, who have surfed since they co she learned as a teenager and thus has an of my apprehension.

www.alltogethernow.org.uk . . . tel, 0151 230

THE CREST OF A WAVE

rnow.org.uk

All Together NOW!

December/January 2020

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FEELING THE FEAR: Gerry at surf school in Lanzarote and, above, with fellow trainees and instructors including Vicky, fourth from right

The first day is about acclimatising, dragging a 19lb surf board against the tide, hauling yourself on to it, tumbling off it. Despite my age, I have never been fitter. Just as well since this is the most physically demanding endeavour of my life. By day’s end, my eyes, red and sore, are closing on me. My whole body aching and fatigued, with barely the energy to lift my wine glass. Day two and the waves are appreciably bigger, stronger. Nevertheless, I pretty much master pulling myself to my knees. Getting to my feet will be another matter; doing so as the board beneath you plummets through the water requires another level of brave again. Before I know it, it’s my last day, time and my strength ebbing away, and still I have failed to stand on a moving board. I decide I have two more attempts in me. We wait patiently for a wave that will provide impetus. Then I’m riding, on to my knees. Fighting the fear, I get on to one foot, then fly off and hit the surf, the momentum taking me down, disorientated, at the mercy of the water. In this moment it seems the outcome I dreaded all my life – drowning – was

0 0307 . . . sales@alltogethernow.org.uk

not after all an exaggerated, irrational fear, but the reality, the here and now. Months of preparation, building my strength and stamina, jumping into the deep end with my eyes closed to prepare for just such an eventuality, now seeming wholly inadequate. And then my head breaks the surface, Vicky close by, retrieving my cap which has gone its own way, fleeting panic negotiated, another fear faced. I rest awhile. Time for one last effort. I summon my reserves. “This one!” Vicky shouts. I clamber on to the board, put my body in position. The wave hits, carries me forward; now I’m on my knees again, concentrated, eyes fixed front. “Come on”, I urge myself. I jump to my feet, then I’m falling again, but not before I’m standing, a lifetime’s quest for contentment encapsulated in one glorious moment of pure exhiliration.

Darkest days behind me

“One second!” Vicky declares, indicating the time I achieved on my feet before the ocean took me. Honestly, it’s probably half that, but I’m taking it. “I’m proud of you,” she says, and tears damp my eyes. Through the worst periods of my life, I never truly contemplated suicide, but there were days so grim I could not bear the prospect of waking up feeling that way for years ahead. My life is not perfect; I am still prone to anxiousness, I still get tired, self-doubt creeps in. But I’m as sure I can be that the darkest days are far behind. In the end, balancing on a surf board was not the point. There’s time for that. What mattered was being there, having the audacity to try, keeping on. I will never claim to be “cured”; mental health requires vigilance. The journey goes on and, while I still breathe, the journey does not end.

n Fatigue answers, based in Llansteffan, Carmarthen. Tel. 07969 384634, fatigueanswers.com n surfschoolanzarote.com

All Together NOW!

December/January 2020

The light fantastic

SHOPMOBILITY

n ALTRINCHAM . Tel 0161 929 1714 n ASHTON-UNDER-LYNE. Tel 0161 339 9500 n BARROW. Tel 01229 434039 n BIRKENHEAD. Tel 0151 647 6162 n BLACKBURN AND DARWEN. Tel 01254 690566 or 07757 502217 n BLACKPOOL. Tel 01253 349427 n BOLTON. Tel 01204 392946 n CARLISLE. Tel 01228 631564 n CHESTER. Tel 01244 312626 n CHORLEY. Tel 01257 260 888 n COLWYN BAY. Tel 01492 533822 n CREWE. Tel 01270 580 031 n ELLESMERE PORT. Tel 0151 355 1420 n KENDAL. Tel 01539 740 933 n LEIGH, Wigan. Tel 01942 777 985 n LIVERPOOL. Tel 0151 707 0877 n MANCHESTER Trafford Centre. Tel 0161 747 2684 n MANCHESTER Arndale Centre. Tel 0161 839 4060 n NELSON. Tel 01282 692 502 n NORTHWICH, Vale Royal Tel 01606 288820 n OSWESTRY. Tel 01691 656882 n PENRITH. Tel 01768 895 438 n PRESTON. Tel 01772 204 667 n RHYL. Tel 01745 350665 n ROCHDALE. Tel 01706 865 986 n RUNCORN, Halton Lea Tel 01928 710144 n SHREWSBURY. Tel 01743 236900 SKELMERSDALE. Tel 01695 550066 n ST HELENS. Tel 01744 613 388 n STOCKPORT. Tel 0161 666 1100 n WARRINGTON. Tel 01925 240064 n WARRINGTON. Birchwood Tel 01925 822 411 WIDNES: 0151 511 8833 n WIGAN. Tel 01942 776 070 n WINSFORD Tel 01606 557550 n WREXHAM. Tel 01978 312390 MIDLANDS n BIRMINGHAM. Snow Hill Railway Station. Tel 0121 236 8980. Level 2, Centre Car Park, Bullring. Tel 0121 616 2942 n STAFFORD. Tel 01785 619456 n STOKE ON TRENT. Tel 01782 233333 n SUTTON COLDFIELD. Tel 0121 355 1112 n TAMWORTH. Tel, 01827

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

YOU can’t beat a good light show to lift the spirits. And this one, involving 10,000 lights on a group of trees in the Wirral countryside, has been doing exactly that for more than 20 years. This year’s magnificent display outside Wirral Hospice St John’s was switched on by Tracie Powell in memory of her husband, Allan. Now a volunteer at the hospice, Tracie said: “The hospice was magnificent for Allan. The help I have personally received since has been wonderful. “We all feel honoured to be able to switch on the lights, as we know it means so much for many families living in, and with family ties to, Wirral.” For a suggested donation of £5 per light you can sponsor a light in memory of a loved one. n Contact: Tel. 0151 343 0778.

LOOKING GOOD Next generation of eye-tracking has coach Jeff back on track

HE next generation of eyetracking technology – the I-Series – is winning plenty of fans . . . including US sports coach Jeff Fogel.

Jeff, 48, who contracted motor neurone disease 10 years ago, said: “The I-Series has made it possible for me to continue to do what MND otherwise would have taken away from me. “I can keep in touch with friends on Facebook, enjoy the latest shows on Netflix and go to live concerts. “But, most importantly, I can continue to coach the kids in basketball, football and deliver my pre and post-game speeches to them.” The I-Series features ground-breaking innovations including the first-of-its-kind Wake-on-Gaze feature, which lets users

turn on the device just with their eyes. There is also a second screen on the back of the device that mirrors the phrases being typed by the user (see picture), so that users have face-to-face communication with others. Fredrik Ruben, CEO of Tobii Dynavox,

said: “Eye tracking unlocks a world of possibilities and with this new device, built on years of research and customer feedback, we have pushed the limits of what a communication device can do.” n Prices start from about £10,500.

HELP AT THE END OF A PHONE

n ANGLESEY: TARAN Tel 01407 721933 n BLACKPOOL Disability Information and Support. Tel 01253 472 202. Textphone 01253 476 450 n CHESHIRE CIL Tel 01606 331853 n CHESTER Dial House Tel 01244 345655 n DENBIGHSHIRE Tel 01745 354445 n ELLESMERE PORT DICE Tel 0151 355 1420

n HALTON Disability Service Tel 01928 717222 n KNOWSLEY DISABILITY CONCERN. 0151 480 4090 n LANCASTER DISC Tel 01524 34411 n LIVERPOOL Association of Disabled People. 0151 263 8366. Text 0151 260 4076. n ACSIL (Amputees and Carers), Tel, 0151 261 1166 n THE BRAIN CHARITY Tel 0151 298 2999

n MANCHESTER (GTR) Coalition of Disabled People Tel 0161-273 5154 n MOLD Flintshire Disability Tel 01352 755546 n NELSON: Pendle Pakistan Welfare Association. Tel 01282 603 616 n PRESTON DISC: Tel 01772 558 863. Text 01772 204 787 n RHYL Tel 01745 350665 n STOCKPORT: Disability

Stockport. 0161 480 7248 n WARRINGTON Disability Partnership. 01925 240064 n WIRRAL WIRED Tel 0151 670 1500 n WEST LANCS HELPLINE Freefone 0800 220676 n ST HELENS DASH Tel 01744 453053 MIDLANDS n BIRMINGHAM Disability Resource Centre Tel 0121 789 7365

n Disabled People’s Network Solihull Tel 0121 788 1544 n STOKE: Disability Solutions Tel 01782 683800 n WOLVERHAMPTON Elder and Disabled Group Tel 01902 448552 n WEST MIDS Amputee

Group. 07891 794733; 07585 958322; 07557 228154

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

December/January 2020

CONGRATULATIONS to the five lucky winners of our competition to win a prize that will set them up for spring! All winners will receive a “plant and bulb” twin pack of primula Rambo Red Flame and daffodil Jetfire, courtesy of Suttons.

All Together NOW!

Helping hands . . .

HERE’S a helpful guide for parents of children who have been newly diagnosed with a sight condition. Sarah Holton, at the Royal Institute of Blind people, said: “Finding out that your child has a vision impairment can be a difficult and emotional experience. It’s especially important that parents understand where they can go for further support.” n www.visionuk.org.uk

Jim Campbell, Breck Rd, Liverpool (“I picked up All Together NOW! at ASDA Breck Road”) Sheila Miller, Cross Lane, Bebington, Wirral (Clatterbridge Hospital) Barbara Ware, Cronulla Drive, Great Sankey, Warrington (ASDA Cockedge) Mrs Pauline Walker, Somerville St, Crewe (Minsull’s Garden Centre) Andrew Kay, The Willows, Mawdesley, Ormskirk (FACT, Liverpool)

FEELING GEEKY

AMING, comics and all things ‘geek’ are all part of an autismfriendly session for young people that’s being piloted in Wirral.

The session at Geek Retreat in Hoylake is run by Autism Together and offers a chance for 11-19 year-olds with autism or social and communication difficulties to meet and make friends with other people who share their interests. The charity is running the sessions until Christmas, but they need to find funding or sponsorship to continue the service. Sarah Rixon, from Autism Together’s Children & Family Service, said: “Geek Retreat Wirral opened earlier this year and has grown into a popular hangout for those interested in trading card games, board games, comics, video games and general geek culture. “As a regular visitor, I can say it is a fantastic place to hang out and embrace your inner geek, however some young people with autism and other social communication difficulties would find it difficult to visit on their own. “Our sessions are run by two experienced support workers and are limited to six young people a time. This allows us to keep the sessions inclusive and interactive, while helping attendees through any anxiety they might feel.

VISUAL PROBLEMS n ACCRINGTON Tel 01254 233332 n BARROW Tel 01229 820698 n BIRMINGHAM Action for Blind Tel 0121 665 4200 n BLACKBURN Tel 0125 554143 n BLACKPOOL: N-Vision Tel 01253 362696 n BURY Tel 0161 763 7014 n BURNLEY Tel 01282 438507

GAME ON: From left: Craig Costello, Rowan Gorst-Gaudie, Sarah Rixon, Mike Edwards, and Danny McLeod “If you’re an organisation who’d like to partner with us to help fund these valuable sessions, please do get in touch.” Argyle Satellite Taxis is providing prebooked transport for those struggling to get to the sessions. Danny McLeod of Argyle Satellite Taxis,

said: “We’re pleased to be able to offer our support to help transport people who might find it difficult to attend the sessions and can even arrange for passengers to view the vehicle and meet the driver in advance, to ease any anxieties.” n Autism Together, tel 0151 666 9960

HELP AT THE END OF A PHONE

n CARLISLE: Action for Blind People Tel 01228 595121 n CHESHIRE & N WALES: Vision Support. Tel 01244 381515 n CUMBRIA (West) Tel 01946 592474 n CUMBRIA (Sth Lakeland) Tel 01539 726613 n GUIDE DOGS Tel 0118 983 5555 n HENSHAW’S 0161 872 234 or 0151 708 7055

n LIVERPOOL: Bradbury Fields.Tel 0151 221 0888: Action for Bind Tel 0151 298 3222 n MANCHESTER: Action for Blind Tel 0161 787 9252 n PRESTON: Action for Blind People Tel 01772 320550 n OLDHAM Tel 0161 682 8019 n ROSSENDALE Tel 01706 873256 n SIGHTLINE (North West)

Tel 0800 587 2252 n WIGAN Tel 01942 242891 n WIRRAL Tel 0151 652 8877 HEARING ISSUES n BIRMINGHAM Institute for Deaf Tel 0121 246 6101 n CHESHIRE Deaf Society Tel 01606 47831 n CUMBRIA Deaf Society Tel 01228 606434 n LANCASHIRE (EAST) Deaf Society Tel 01282 839180

n MANCHESTER Deaf Centre. Tel 0161 273 3415 Genie Networks. Tel 0161 941 4549. Text 18001 0161 941 4549 n MERSEYSIDE Society for Deaf Tel 0151 228 0888 n SOUTHPORT Centre for the Deaf Tel 01704 537001 n ST HELENS: Deafness Resource Centre Tel 01744 23887 n WOLVERHAMPTON Centre for Deaf Tel 01902

CARERS’ CENTRES

n ACCRINGTON Tel 01254 387 444 n BLACKBURN with DARWEN Tel 01254 688 www.bwdcarers.org n BLACKPOOL Blackpool Borough Council, Tel 01253 477 716 nCUMBRIA Carlisle. Tel 01228 542 156 Penrith. Tel 01768 890 280 Barrow-in-Furness. Tel 01229 822 822 Kendal. Tel 01539 732 927 Whitehaven, Tel 01946 592 223 n CHESHIRE & WARRINGTON Helpline:0300 102 0008 n KNOWSLEY Tel 0151 549 1412 n LANCASTER Tel 01524 66475 nLIVERPOOL Tel 0151 705 2307 n MANCHESTER Tel 0161 835 2995 n MORECAMBE Tel 01524 833456 n PRESTON Tel 01772 200173 n RUNCORN Tel 01928 580182 n WIDNES Tel 0151 257 9673 n SALFORD Tel 0161 833 0217 n SEFTON Tel 0151 288 6060 n ST HELENS Tel 01744 675 615 n STOCKPORT Tel 0161 442 0442 n WARRINGTON (WIRED) Tel 01925 633 492 n WEST LANCS Tel 01695 711243 n WIGAN & LEIGH Tel 01942 705959 / 486923 MIDLANDS n BIRMINGHAM Tel 0121 675 8000 n SOLIHULL Tel 0121 788 1143 n WALSALL Tel 01922 610 810 NORTH WALES n ANGLESEY Tel 01248 722828 n BANGOR Tel 01248 370 797 n CONWY Tel 01492 533714 n DENBIGHSHIRE: NEWCIS, Tel: 0845 603 3187 nDOLGELLAU Tel 01341 421167 n FLINTSHIRE: NEWCIS, Tel: 01352 751436 n WREXHAM CARERS SERVICE

All Together NOW!

FLASHBACK

December/January 2020

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

n KEN PYE has just completed his two latest books – ‘Two Triangles: Liverpool, Slavery, and The Church’, and ‘Liverpool Murders and Misdemeanours’. n Ken also gives local history talks to groups and organisations across the North West. Contact him on 0151 427 2717 or email ken.pye@discoverliverpool.com

DARK SECRET OF SCHOOL GATES

HE world’s first school for the blind was on Merseyside. This was opened in 1791 by Edward Rushton, a remarkable sailor, poet, journalist, human rights campaigner and slavery abolitionist.

In 1898, the school moved from a later site in Hardman Street, to a new building on Church Road North in the Liverpool suburb of Wavertree. It was constructed on the site of Wavertree Hall, which had possibly once been the family seat of the important and wealthy Perceval Family, who claimed descent from Viking invaders in the 10th century. In the mid-to-late 19th century, Wavertree Hall had been held by another wealthy family and, in 1865, the daughter of the house, named Margaret, fell in love with the family’s coachman whose name was Edward Murphy. The coachman was young, tall, and handsome, with a muscular body, dark hair, and pale-blue eyes, so it is easy to see why the young girl would have fallen for his undoubted attractions. Margaret knew that her martinet of a father, the local Squire, would never approve of their relationship, and not just because Murphy was working-class; a bad enough crime in Victorian England, but because he was also Irish and a Roman Catholic! In the eyes and prejudices of the Squire such a relationship was absolutely impossible, so the young couple eloped in secret. When he discovered what his only daughter had done, Margaret’s staunchly Protestant parent was now outraged! So much so that he immediately wrote her out of his will, and ordered that the gates to the grounds of the hall be permanently locked and the path to the front door ploughed up, so that she “could never return home”. These instructions were actually written into the deeds of the property and they are still in force today. The star-crossed lovers are believed to have spent some time in Ireland where, because Margaret was a Protestant, they were also rejected by Edward’s Catholic family, so they returned to Liverpool, where they lived in great poverty in the Scotland Road area of the town. However, there is a footnote to this unusual tale: In February 2011, I met Julia

Locked forever.. out of a father’s spiteful revenge

PICTURES: Above, the original Wavertree Hall. Left, the Blind School gates and planted pathway. Rightm the gates from Church Road North

Lisman, the great granddaughter of the coachman, and she verified the details of the story. Julia also told me that the couple had a son, also named Edward, and that Margaret’s mother, entirely unknown to her bully of a husband, regularly and secretly visited her daughter in their poor home, and provided her and her family with gifts of money and food to keep them from the workhouse. Julia believes that their child, her grandfather, Edward Murphy Junior, was born sometime around 1870 and died in the early 1940s. Whatever the nature of his origins, Julia’s family now also believe that he went on to establish

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and own a printing business in Liverpool, named the Eldon Press, and that he also became a typesetter with the Liverpool Echo. But what of the gates to the former Wavertree Hall? Following the strict rules of the lease they stand there still, in the main wall of what is now The Royal School for The Blind. The gates were restored in 1955, but they remain permanently locked and the pathway is still grassed over. A new gateway and entrance path had to be cut to allow the family to enter their home, and this is the one the school still uses today.

Ken Pye – 0151 427 2717

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December/January 2020

Can these be the key to healing wounds?

ERRIES, especially strawberries and blackberries, could help to heal wounds.

Don’t let a pet harm your health

WE ARE a nation of animal lovers but beware – your pet could cause you everything from itchy eyes to asthma. Pets are now one of the major causes of allergic disease in the UK and the second most important cause of allergies in the home. Spending more time inside during the colder winter months means increased contact with pet “dander”, the tiny particles of dead skin and saliva which are shed by animals and subsequently become airborne. These microscopic particles can easily fly up the nose, triggering lots of nasty symptoms. As well as cats and dogs, rabbits, small rodents, such as guinea pigs, gerbils, hamsters, rats and mice, and caged birds can also cause allergic reactions. Indoor allergy symptoms caused by pets include sore, itchy, watery eyes; sneezing and wheezing, a runny nose and sinus pain. Asthma can also be triggered by pet allergens, and in some rare cases, sufferers can experience extreme symptoms such as shortness of breath or even anaphylaxis. Simple ways to minimise the allergens around you include: n Using an allergen barrier balm to help stop the allergens getting into the body. n Keeping pets off sofas and beds, and out of the bedroom. n Damping dust surfaces and vacuum regularly. n Using allergy-friendly mattress covers and bedding.

For centuries, honey has been used for wound healing. But a new study suggests that berries could also be effective for those with sores, ulcers or other wounds. Scientists found that blackberries were particularly good at helping to suppress reactive oxygen species (molecules that are produced when tissues are injured). Berry proanthocyanidins – the very compounds that give berries their red, blue, or purple colours – also appeared to reduce the need for nitric oxide

Dinosaur killer could be key to treatment

synthesis, a compound involved in wound repair. Dr Emma Derbyshire, Public Health Nutritionist and an adviser to British Summer Fruits, said: “Ongoing research in the form of in vivo human studies is now needed. “In the meantime, regular berry consumption, particularly strawberries and blackberries, for those with sores, ulcers or other wounds or injuries, could be a nice, tasty way to benefit from their antiinflammatory effects.” she added. “And to step it up even further, eating berries with a spoonful or squirt of honey could be the perfect combination to help heal wounds”. The latest research was reported in the journal of Food Research International.

CANCER CLUE A

N EXTREMELY rare metal believed to have formed part of the asteroid that destroyed the dinosaurs 66 million years ago could be used to kill cancer in the future.

Scientists have developed a technique that activates a cancer-destroying form of the metal – Iridium – which for the first time attacks even malignant cells resistent to treatment. The breakthrough significantly extends the range of cancers that can be treated – and may even vaccinate patients against future cancers. It’s a technique particularly suited to treating bladder, lung, oesophageal, brain and skin cancers. There are around 10,000 bladder cancer cases in the UK each year, of which about 5,000 might potentially benefit from this kind of treatment. Until now, a treatment known as photodynamic therapy only worked on cancer cells with normal oxygen supplies. But many tumours are “hypoxic”, meaning they are low in oxygen, often due to poor blood supplies. Now an international team of scientists has developed a compound of Iridium that will kill cancer cells even when oxygen concentration is low.

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Once light-activated, the Iridium compound attacks the energy producing machinery in the cancer cells and effectively cuts off the tumour’s power source. Using this method, medics can direct light to specific regions of the cancer tumour and spare normal tissue from damage. Professor Peter Sadler from the University of Warwick, which worked in collaboration with colleagues in China, France, Switzerland and Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, said: “There is an increasing interest in reducing the side effects of cancer treatment as much as possible and anything that can be selective in what it targets will help with that. “The compound that we have developed would not be very toxic at all. We would expect killing of those cancer cells to occur very quickly compared with current methods.” The team of scientists also noted that as the cancer cells die, they change their chemistry in such a way that they generate an immune reaction in the body, what is known as an immunotherapeutic response. This suggests that those treated by this technique might be immunised against attack by that cancer.

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MEDICAL NOTES

UK team aims to make brains younger again

WHEN our bodies age, muscles and joints can become stiff, making everyday movements more difficult. It’s also true of our brains . . . That’s according to a new study which reveals how increasing brain stiffness as we age causes brain stem cell dysfunction. The research also demonstrates new ways to reverse older stem cells to a younger, healthier state. Scientists in Cambridge examined the impact of age-related brain stiffening on the function of cells called OPCs. These are a type of brain stem cell important for normal brain function, and for the regeneration of myelin – the fatty sheath that surrounds our nerves, which is damaged in multiple sclerosis. The influence of age on these cells contributes to MS, which affects over 100,000 people in the UK, but their function also declines with age in healthy people. Dr Susan Kohlhaas, from the MS Society, which part funded the research, said: “The Cambridge team’s findings on how brain stem cells age and how this process might be reversed have important implications for treatment. “It gives us a new target to address issues associated with ageing and MS, including how to potentially regain lost function in the brain.”

Humidity link to flu

THE secret to fighting off the flu in winter could be… humidifiers. Breathing air with a low humidity reduces our immune system’s capability to fight off flu infections, scientists at Yale University. Using humidifiers in the winter to increase the moisture content of air in occupied buildings, such as offices, schools and hospitals, is a potential way to reduce the seasonal impact of flu on society, their research shows. In the UK, it is estimated that influenza causes six million working days to be lost every year, accounts for 400,000 GP consultations, 600 deaths directly and an estimated 10,000 further deaths from flu-related causes. This latest study is not the first to show the importance of humidity to combating flu. Even so, no legal requirement exists in the UK for public or commercial buildings to maintain a minimum indoor humidity level for health. The researchers also found that low humidity reduces the ability of cells in lungs damaged by flu to repair themselves, and that infected cells stopped signalling for help from neighbouring cells.

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MEDICAL NOTES

Double the pills but no less depression

The number of people aged over 65 on antidepressants more than doubled in the space of two decades. That’s despite there being little change in the number diagnosed with depression, new research has revealed. Prof Antony Arthur said: “Depression affects one in 15 people aged over 65, and its impact is felt by the individual, their families and friends. “Between two comparable samples interviewed 20 years apart (1990-93 and 2008-11) we found little change in the prevalence of depression, but the proportion of participants taking antidepressants rose from 4% to almost 11%. “This could be due to improved recognition and treatment of depression, overprescribing, or use of antidepressants for other conditions. “Whatever the explanation, substantial increases in prescribing has not reduced the prevalence of depression in the over65 population. The causes of depression in older people, the factors that perpetuate it, and the best ways to manage it remain poorly understood and merit more attention,” added Prof Arther, from the Univeristy of East Anglia. The research was led by the university in collaboration with the University of Cambridge, the University of Newcastle and the University of Nottingham.

Cancer hits better off

WORLD death rates for pancreatic and colorectal cancer are on the increase – with the highest incidence occurring in higher-income countries. Death rates increased by 10% between 1990 and 2017, according to the Global Burden of Disease – the first to provide comprehensive worldwide estimates of digestive diseases. The number of pancreatic cancer cases increased by 130% over the 27-year study period, from 195,000 in 1990 to 448,000 in 2017 Experts believe the increase in cancers in higher-income countries is related to a rise in the prevalence of obesity and diabetes, as reflected by the risk factors of high BMI and higher blood glucose levels which are two of the leading risk factors for pancreatic cancer. Professor Reza Malekzadeh, lead author of the study, commented, “Pancreatic cancer is one of the world’s deadliest cancers, with an overall fiveyear survival rate of just 5% in high, middle and low-income countries. Major risk factors for the disease, such as smoking, diabetes and obesity, are largely modifiable and present a huge opportunity for prevention.”

Is your nightcap more of a binge? GERRI MORTIMORE, Lecturer in Post-registration Health Care at the University of Derby, asks is alcohol really all that bad . . ?

HE answer is very dependent on how much we drink – or in other words – the total amount of alcohol units we consume.

Of course, many of us who regularly consume alcohol don’t really think about the units we drink unless we are contemplating driving. I think many people will be shocked to realise that they are drinking many more units than is recommended by the Department of Health. In 2016, it stated that there was no real safe level of drinking but as a guide, both men and women should only drink a maximum of 14 units a week. Previous to this it was 14 units for females and 21 units for males. What is an alcohol unit? Alcohol units have been around for over 30 years, but how many of us really know what a unit of alcohol is? If you take wine, for example, one unit is equivalent to 125mls (small glass) of 8.5% alcohol by volume (ABV) wine. When units were originally devised, the

wine was based on an 8.5% ABV. Most pubs, only sell wine in 175ml or 250ml glasses and most wines are between 1115% (ABV). To work out the unit content of a 250ml glass of 15% wine you multiply the volume 250ml by 15% ABV and divide by 1000, which equals 3.73 units. This one glass of wine could quite easily take you over the drink drive limit. I recently gave a demonstration where I poured an “average” glass of wine for myself, in the same way many of us do on an evening. This so called average glass of 15% red wine measured in at 330mls. After calculating the units (330 x 15 divided by 1000) it worked out to be 4.95 units. Many of us there, myself included, would have thought my glass of wine was around two units. However, if I consumed a glass like this every night, it would equate to 35 units per week, which is two and a half times the recommended weekly allowance for females. In 10 to 15 years drinking at this level I could quite easily develop alcohol-related liver damage. Do I have an alcohol problem? The answer is no. Could I develop liver disease? The answer is yes. Scary thought, isn’t it? The same logic applies to drinking

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spirits. Do people who drink spirits at home carefully measure out 25mls into glass? When I demonstrated pouring a 25ml measure into a gin glass, it only covered the bottom. However, when I “poured myself a ‘home” measure and accurately measured it afterwards, it equated to around 4.5 units. Just two home-poured glasses of gin (or any 40% ABV spirit) would be considered a binge. Will I develop liver disease? Not everyone who drinks 35 units or more a week will develop alcohol-related liver disease. A lot depends on your weight, muscle mass and gender. Just because your friends or relatives drink a lot and are okay, doesn’t mean to say that you will be. If you are someone who consumes alcohol regularly, start measuring the amount you drink as it may just make you aware of how many units you are consuming and this may help you to reduce it. Unlike other organs, the liver can regenerate and, by having alcohol free days, this can help your liver a lot. Furthermore, an interesting experiment would be to cost up the money saved during your alcohol free time. You could even use this money to donate to the British Liver Trust!

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Here’s to a happy and healthy New Year!

MEDICAL NOTES

Union steps up battle against bladder cancer

ONE of Britain’s biggest unions has joined the fight against bladder cancer. The GMB’s awareness campaign highlights the link between people employed in certain industries and bladder cancer. Workers in male dominated industries and particularly from chemical dye and rubber industries are often exposed to substances associated with the disease. However, the compounds have also been detected in hair dyes, paints, fungicides, cigarette smoke, plastics, pollutant emissions from industrial installations, and metal and motor vehicle exhausts, which can affect both males and females. An estimated 100,000 men and women live with bladder cancer in the UK and around 15,000 new cases are diagnosed annually, making it the fifth most common cancer overall – the fourth most common in men. The majority of those diagnosed are over 55, but increasingly people of all ages are affected. Warren Kenny, GMB Regional Secretary said: “Occupational bladder cancer claims thousands of lives per year, and it is likely that official statistics are underestimated as there are many causes of the cancer, meaning the link to work is often not made. “Due to the long latency before symptoms manifest, it is often perceived to be an older person’s condition. As such there has been little campaigning for preventative approaches.”

Dr Hilary Jones, GP & health broadcaster, shares his top tips for recognising some hidden health risks we shouldn’t ignore!

1. Having a sweet tooth

WE ALL know that feeling of needing a pick-me-up, often in the form of a chocolate biscuit at 3pm! Well researchers at Yale University have revealed that the dramatic fall in blood sugar which happens after eating sugary foods as a result of sudden insulin secretion in the body, can make us more likely to give in to sweet cravings. However, relying on sugary treats to get through the day can be a sign of something more than just a sweet tooth! Sugar cravings and fatigue can indicate seasonal affective disorder, while tiredness with weight gain and an intolerance of cold weather could point to an underactive thyroid. TIP: Having a blood test will assess whether your thyroid is functioning as it should so make a visit to your GP if you’re worried and ask about ways to reduce sugar in your diet. In the meantime, opt for healthier alternatives to sugary snacks such as unsalted almonds which are packed with magnesium for a fast energy boost, or a banana which is brimming with B vitamins – great for longer-lasting energy when you’re on the go.

2. Missing out on the jokes

MISSING the punchline in one too many jokes may be a symptom of having a potential hidden hearing loss. Latest research shows that straining to hear forces the brain to work harder. Over time, this extra effort can take its toll on the brain and hearing loss has been shown to increase a person’s risk of dementia by two to five times.

TIP: Regular

hearing checks will ensure your hearing health is taken care of, as well as helping to safeguard your future cognitive health too.

3. Feeling the burn

ACID reflux, also known as heartburn, is the most frequent cause of indigestion in the UK. Over time acid reflux can lead to hoarseness and a chronic cough so it’s important to seek help. TIP: Reducing your stress levels through exercise, relaxation, and therapy can help to ease the symptoms. Eat little and often, and remember that spicy and acidic foods can compound the problem. Seek help if reflux lasts more than three weeks, especially if you’re over 50.

4. Hitting the snooze button

FOR many of us, forcing ourselves out of bed in the morning can be the biggest struggle of the day. But feeling unable to get out of bed can be a sign of something more serious. If you’re feeling tired all the time, have trouble sleeping and struggle with low energy then you could be one of the millions of people who are depressed or deficient in a crucial mineral – iron! Iron helps make red blood cells which transport oxygen around the body, and without them we can be left feeling like we’re constantly tired. TIP: One of the easiest ways to up

your stamina is to increase your intake of foods rich in haem iron, such as red meat (up to 500g a week). Drinking fruit juice with your red meat will also help your body to absorb the iron, thanks to the vitamin C. If red meat isn’t for you, having a side of green leafy veg with your meal is a great way to incorporate more iron-rich foods, along with shellfish such as mussels and oysters!

5. Walking is a pain

AS WE get older our risk of having high levels of the LDL, known as “bad cholesterol” increases our risk of heart disease, yet many people aren’t aware they have it. Symptoms like white spots around your eyelids, a white ring around the iris or even pain when walking due to poor circulation, could indicate high cholesterol levels. TIP: Get a cholesterol test done every five years. If your cholesterol is higher than it should be, there are things you can do. Increase your activity levels and instead of having dessert, take a short walk. It’s also time to reduce your intake of saturated fat by choosing leaner cuts of meat and low-fat dairy products.

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‘Give workers vitamin D’

THE GMB Union is also pressing for employers to provide free Vitamin D supplements for “who rarely get enough sunshine to produce it naturally”. Dan Shears, GMB Health and Safety Director, said: “Lack of Vitamin D can lead to painful bone conditions – osteoporosis and osteopenia – that have a huge detrimental effect on the everyday lives of our members. “We know that those working indoors in artificial light, or night workers, are at highest risk of Vitamin D deficiency, as so many of our members work in affected sectors such as warehousing, security, care and the NHS. “We’re looking for employers to work with us to introduce free Vitamin D supplements where workers are at the greatest risk. “There’s no intention to make this mandatory, or to force workers to take anything that they don’t want to. However, a little prevention can make a huge difference, and in this case that has to be good news for everyone.”

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‘till Jan 18: Peter Pan. Royal Court, Liverpool. This is not for kids so treat yourselves to a babysitter and book in for a great night out! BSL Dec 3, 8pm. Audio described, Dec 4, 8pm. ‘till Jan 18: Jack and the Beanstalk. Theatre Clwyd, Mold. Dec 3-7: Curtains. Regent, Stoke. Hilarious whodunnit packed full of catchy songs, unforgettable characters and plot twists galore! Dec 4: Abba Arrival. Theatr Colwyn. The No1 International multi awardwinning ABBA ?show, which has sold out in over 30 different countries worldwide. Dec 5: Dweezil Zappa. Palace Theatre, Manchester. Dweezil will be performing his father Frank Zappa’s entire “Hot Rats” album in sequence live on stage. Dec 5-28: Treasure Island. Octagon, Bolton. The classic tale of buccaneers and buried gold. Audio described, Dec 15, 1pm. BSL, Dec 15, 5.30pm. Captioned, Dec 23, 5.30. Dec 6-Jan 5: Peter Pan. Grand Theatre, Blackpool. Guaranteed yet another year of spectacular sets, dazzling costumes and sidesplitting comedy. Audio Described and BSL, Dec 14 and 21, 2pm. Dec 6: Shed Seven. Venue Cymru, Llandudno. Special Guests – The Twang. Dec 6-Jan 12: Gruffalo’s Child. The Lowry. Let your imagination run wild with songs, laughs and scary fun for everyone. Relaxed performance, Dec 19, 1.30pm. BSL, Dec 21, 1.30pm. Audio Described, Sat 28 December, 1.30pm - Touch Tour 12.30pm. Dec 6-Jan 5: Cinderella. Epstein Theatre, Liverpool. Sammy Winward gets on her gladrags as Cinders. Chrissy Rock and Sarah White are her two ugly sisters. Dec 7-29: Peter Pan. Liverpool Empire. Take a fairy tale flight to Neverland this Christmas in the hilarious, swashbuckling pantomime adventure. Relaxed performance, Dec 20, 8pm. Dec 7-29: Sleeping Beauty. Venue Cymru, Llandudno. Spectacularly brought to life with an abundance of jaw-dropping dance, side-splitting comedy, sensational song and plenty of festive magic. BSL, Dec 14, 2pm. Audio

BOX OFFICE CONTACTS

BLACKPOOL Grand Theatre: 01253 290190 BOLTON Octagon: 01204 520661 CREWE Lyceum: 01270 368 242 LIVERPOOL Empire: 08444 999 999 Everyman & Playhouse: 0151 709 4776 Royal Court: 0870 787 1866 Unity 0151 709 4988 LLANDUDNO Venue Cymru: 01492 872000 MOLD: Theatr Clwyd: 0845 3303565 MANCHESTER Opera House: 0870 401 9000 Palace: 0870 401 3000

SALFORD The Lowry: 0843 208 6000 NEW BRIGHTON Floral Pavillion: 0151 666 0000 PRESTON: Charter Theatre: 0845 344 2012 RHYL: Pavilion: 01745 330 000 RUNCORN The Brindley: 0151 907 8360 SOUTHPORT: Floral Hall: 0844 847 2380 ST HELENS: Theatre Royal: 01744 756000 STOKE: Regent Theatre: 0844 871 7627

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KATIE’S BACK

PANTO CRAZY! Compiled by CHRIS GROVES

Described, Dec 15, 1pm. Relaxed performance, Dec 27, 1pm. Dec 10: Beasty Baby. Unity, Liverpool. A funny and magical mix of puppetry and live music that’s the perfect festive treat for all the family.

Dec 10-Jan 4: The Bodyguard. Palace Theatre, Manchester. The smash-hit West End musical returns to tour the UK. Dec 11-31: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Pavilion, Rhyl. The fairest story of them all. Dec 13-29: Jack and the Beanstalk. Southport Theatre. Get ready to cheer, boo, hiss, sing and dance your way into Christmas. Dec 18: Christmas Gospel Concert. The Brindley, Runcorn. Sing Out’s unique

EMMERDALE’S Katie Sugden – Sammy Winward – gets on her gladrags and takes on ugly sisters Crissy Rock, left, and Sarah White in Cinderella at Liverpool’s Epstein Theatre (Dec 6-Jan 5). Joining them are Samantha Palin, Andrew Geater, Warren Donnelly and Lewis Devine.

gospel twist with a touch of Motown. Dec 19-Jan 12: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The Brindley, Runcorn. Dec 21- Jan 4: Aladdin. Theatr Colwyn. A perfect fun-filled festive family treat! Jan 3-5: Shen Yun. Liverpool Empire. Opening a portal to a civilization of enchanting beauty and enlightening iewisdom. Jan 11: Some Guys Have all the Luck. Lyceum, Crewe. Celebrating the career of Rod Stewart. Jan 13: Russian State Ballet of Siberia – Sleeping Beauty. Liverpool Empire. The classic story of love and innocence, mystery and magic. Jan 13-14: Shen Yun. Palace Theatre, Manchester. Enchanting and enlightening! A whole new way to view the world! Jan 16: The Rocket Man - A Tribute to Sir Elton John. Liverpool Empire. Tribute

to multi-Grammy award-winning legend and superstar. Jan 17: The Simon & Garfunkel Story. Regent, Stoke. Direct from London’s Lyric Theatre. Jan 17: Liverpool Legends - In Conversation. Liverpool Empire. Phil Thompson, Danny Murphy and Bruce Grobbelaar. Jan 17: Mr Blue Sky. The Brindley, Runcorn. ELO AGAIN are back with their stunning ‘Re-Discovery Tour’ celebrating the music of Jeff Lynne. Jan 17: The Sounds of Simon. The Brindley (Studio). Runcorn. Tribute show. Jan 17: The Russian State Ballet of Siberia - Sleeping Beauty. Grand Theatre, Blackpool. Jan 17: UK Pink Floyd Experience 2020. Theatre Royal, St Helens. Tribute show.

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Oh, baby . . . this is magic Beasty Baby: Unity Theatre, Liverpool December 10 - 28

It’s a Wonderful Life is among the Christmas classics being screened at St George’s Hall, Liverpool. Other favourites include Home Alone, Love Actually, and Elf. Films will be screened in The Great Hall, with Christmas trees flanking the screen and plenty of mulled wine to go around. There will be comfy beanbags and luxury sofas to snuggle into while you watch your favourite films too. There are two screenings per day, at 4pm and 7.30pm. n The curtains go up from 17-23 December. n Tickets at www.lunawintercinema.com

A FUNNY and magical mix of puppetry and live music that’s the perfect festive treat for all the family. Set in a small hut in a wintry wood in a very cold land, the arrival of a child is eagerly awaited. But Beasty Baby is nothing like anyone expected and mayhem and laughter wait around every corner as three people embark on a wild adventure to bring up this mischievous, but totally loveable, child, discovering how adorable, maddening and demanding children can be, how they learn about right and wrong, and how adults and communities learn to cope.

Jan 18: Believe – The Cher Songbook. Charter Theatre, Preston. Turn back time and celebrate the Goddess of Pop. Jan 18: Sing-A-Long-The Greatest Showman. Liverpool Empire. Jan 20-25: Once. Liverpool Empire. Broadway and West End hit musical love story with a bittersweet difference. Jan 21: Ellen Kent’s La Bohème. Palace Theatre, Manchester. One of the most romantic operas ever written. Jan 24-25: Murder on Mulholland Drive. Theatre Clwyd. Jan 24: The Magic of Motown Reach Out. The smash hit show returns recreating the sublime legendary musicianship that were the making of Motown. Jan 24: Lennon Retrospective. The Brindley, Runcorn. A night of music from one of the world’s top

songwriters. Jan 25: The Christians. Brindley, Runcorn. Formed in Liverpool in 1986 The Christians went on to become one of the UK’s biggest soul bands. Jan 25: Moscow City Ballet presents The Nutcracker. Palace Theatre, Manchester. Complete with live orchestra, breath-taking choreography and dazzling performances. Jan 27-Feb 1: Frankenstein. Theatre Clwyd, Mold. Jan 27-Feb 8: We Will Rock You. Palace Theatre, Manchester. The worldwide smash hit musical by Queen and Ben Elton returns to the UK. Jan 28-Feb 1: Curtains. Liverpool Empire. It’s murder putting on a new musical – literally! Jan 30: Roy Chubby Brown. The Brindley. Runcorn.

Jan 31: Library of Screams. The Brindley, Runcorn. Classic spinetinglers from the golden age of horror are given a new lease of blood in this original stage chiller. Jan 31: Showaddywaddy 2020. Theatre Royal, St Helens. Jan 31: Joe Brown in Concert. Grand Theatre, Blackpool. Premier rock ‘n’ roll legend Joe takes to the road to celebrate 60 years in the business. Feb 2: Rhod Gilbert-The Book of John. Liverpool Empire. Feb 2: You Win Again. Grand Theatre, Blackpool. Direct from London’s West End – Celebrating the Music of The Bee Gees. Feb 6: Crooners. The Brindley, Runcorn. The music show bringing all your much-loved, big band hits to the stage.

The Snowman is a Christmas ritual for lots of us. This year you can enjoy the festive classic – accompanied by a live orchestra – at Liverpool Cathedral. The special screening features the much-loved ‘Walking in the Air’, bringing the tale to life in a way that leaves you feeling all warm and cosy inside. There’s also a second animation, A Donkey’s Tale, which tells the heartwarming story of Dillon, an ordinary donkey with an extraordinary dream. n Saturday, December 28, 5pm and 7.30pm. n Tickets at www.liverpool cathedral.org.uk

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Books

Comedy of aliens and hearing aids

December/January 2020

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ARIES (March 21st-April 20th)

your bank account on the 12th. That’s when the Full Moon will shed light on a shortage. Things will be looking up on Boxing Day, when a Solar Eclipse brings happy news. A cherished relative will come to visit, and you’ll get the chance to learn something special in the final days of 2019. January’s Lunar Eclipse on the 10th will bring a painful legal matter to a close. An unusual person from your past could reappear on the 11th, creating excitement in your personal life. Together, you can collaborate on a creative project. Never underestimate the importance of having great connections. On the 24th, the New Moon will tempt you to relocatet. Delay your decision . . .

Upsetting news about a community issue will arrive on the 12th, due to a stressful Full Moon. A Solar Eclipse on the Boxing Day highlights your leadership ability. You’ll be asked to take the helm and don’t be surprised if you become something of a local celebrity as a result of this role. The end of December will find your sphere of influence expanding. January’s Lunar Eclipse on the 10th marks the end of a tense domestic situation. It’s also possible you’ll cut ties with a contentious relative. The New Moon on the 24th warns against getting pulled into a group project filled with intransigent individuals. It will be better for you to go solo at the end of January.

SAGITTARIUS (November 23rd-December 21st)

TAURUS (April 21st-May 21st)

Harriet Versus The Galaxy by Samantha Baines with illustrations by deaf artist Jess Maria Flores, publisher Knights Of Media, price £12.99 hardback

A HILARIOUS and heartfelt debut from multi-award winning, hearing aid wearing comic and actor Samantha Baines, above. Before Harriet moved in with her Gran, she never expected to become Earth’s first line of defence against an intergalactic alien invasion. When she discovers an alien in her bedroom, she quickly realises that her hearing aid can do much more than she bargained for ... and that there’s more to her Gran than meets the eye! As the only human who can understand the alien invaders, it’s up to Harriet and her new non-binary friend Robin to save the day. Can she mastermind a plan using her trusty hearing aid and help her Gran and the intergalactic SAS agency save the Earth? Or will her mission fail and the alien Munchas eat everything in sight?

Nothing to fear

A Day Out with Speedy, by Leigh and Emma Joy-Staines, price £1.99

A CHARITY that supports amputees and their families has launched this first in a series of books that aim to educate young people about disability. The Steel Bones charity was founded by Leigh and Emma JoyStaines, who have supplied the first story based on their own experience. Leigh had his leg amputated at 25 after a series of operations to treat clubfoot, a deformity of the feet that causes them to point down and inwards. He said: “My young son Teddy said that his friends kept asking questions – why was my leg missing? Did he have to push my wheelchair? Did this mean his daddy wasn’t strong or capable? “Children are inquisitive by nature and their questions deserve answering. Limb loss is not something that should be scary to children or confusing.” www.steelbone.co.uk/

The run up to Christmas is likely to be turbulent with an aggravating Full Moon on the 12th triggering an angry exchange. If you loaned money to a friend, it will be difficult to be repaid. Let this be a lesson about mixing friendship with finance. Combining the two is often disastrous. Things will start looking up on Boxing Day. The New Year will bring some surprising news about a community concern. This information will make you see a leader in a new and different light. Be sure to attend as many parties and social gatherings as possible during the middle of January.

GEMINI (May 22nd-June 21st) You’ll be placed in an awkward position as Christmas approaches, but stick to your guns and keep the faith. A Solar Eclipse on Boxing Day will reap handsome financial rewards. An inheritance, legal settlement or insurance refund will be unexpectedly rewarded to you. This windfall will greatly improve your lifestyle. The New Year brings some exciting new opportunities and a business or romantic partnership is worth pursuing. Teaming up with someone who is adventurous, curious and light-hearted will be a source of great joy. On the 10th, a Lunar Eclipse will bring an end to a source of income. This will be a blessing in disguise. Stay focused on what you feel is best for you.

CANCER (June 22nd-July 23rd)

Troubling information will come to light on the 12th, due to a revelatory Full Moon. Someone who has been pretending to have expert knowledge will be exposed as a fraud. Let this be a lesson about putting your faith in others. A Solar Eclipse on Boxing Day paves the way to an exciting relationship. Falling in love or forming a business alliance are distinct possibilities. A special role that you’ve held will come to an end on the 10th January, due to a jarring Lunar Eclipse. Although you’ll mourn the passing of this phase, it’s important to know there are even better things ahead. Make some exciting plans that reflect your heart’s desire. On the 24th, the New Moon will tempt you into making an expensive purchase.

LEO (July 24th-August 23rd) Christmas may be all about love and relationships, but things will be tense on the friendship front in mid-December. The Full Moon on the 12th will fuel tempers. Resist the temptation to respond to an obnoxious or offensive remark. A Solar Eclipse on Boxing Day invites you to launch a health regimen. An exciting opportunity comes your way on the 7th January and a Lunar Eclipse on the 10th

RUSSELL GRANT CALLING . . .

brings an embarrassing secret to light. Instead of getting defensive about this revelation, you should admit your mistakes. People are forgiving when they sense someone is truly repentant. The New Moon on the 24th might tempt you into forming an unusual work partnership. Don’t be fooled by a charismatic person’s overtures; leopards do not change their spots.

VIRGO (August 24th-September 23rd)

A tense situation will come to a head on the 12th, due to a powerful Full Moon. You may confront a rival who has been spreading lies about you. Whatever happens, stay calm. Don’t do anything rash. By the time Boxing Day arrives, the Solar Eclipse will reward your pragmatism. The final days of 2019 will have a karmic quality to them. The Universe will reward your patience, perseverance and superior talent. January’s Lunar Eclipse will bring an end to a stressful situation. You’re tired of walking on eggshells with an overly sensitive person. The New Moon on the 24th might tempt you to buy an expensive gadget. Wait . . . it may not live up to expectations.

LIBRA (September 24th-October 23rd)

There could be a number of pre-Christmas frustrations coming your way. On the 12th, you might experience a series of delays. The more flexible you are about this situation, the better. Boxing Day promises to be a day when some exciting changes to your household will occur, thanks to an expansive Solar Eclipse. A move could be on the cards or it’s also possible that a youngster or maybe an elderly relative joins your household. There could also be big changes for you in the New Year. The Lunar Eclipse on the 10th could mark a power struggle and the New Moon on the 24th warns against getting carried away in romance. Harsh criticism could come from a jealous relative or neighbour on the 27th. Take these negative remarks with a grain of salt.

SCORPIO (October 24th-November 22nd)

There could be a pre-Christmas shock in store for you as an unexpected expense could strain

A troubled relationship will reach the breaking point on the 12th. That’s when the Full Moon will urge you to walk away from a manipulative friend, romantic partner or business associate. You once found their whimsical ways charming. Now you recognise their quirky behaviour as manipulative. Boxing Day’s Solar Eclipse will ease whatever heartache you’ve experienced. The New Year sees you becoming more active. When you move your body, creative ideas will flow like a mighty river. On the 10th, a Lunar Eclipse will bring an emergency expense to your attention. You won’t be able to avoid this big bill any longer. Do everything in your power to satisfy this debt as quickly as possible.

CAPRICORN (December 22nd-January 20th)

A health problem will demand your attention on the 12th, due to a disruptive Full Moon. If you’re not satisfied with a doctor’s prognosis, get a second opinion. Cultivate wellness. If this means avoiding sugar, fat and alcohol during the Christmas season, so be it. Boxing Day marks an exciting beginning for you, and you will have the Midas touch during the final days of December. Be cautious with you money in the New Year, and don’t take a financial risk on the 23rd. The New Moon on the 24th warns against accepting an opportunity that sounds too good to be true. Hold out for something more realistic. Starting or joining a new operation will be more trouble than it is worth.

AQUARIUS (January 21st-February 19th)

Sorry – but a romance could hit a rocky patch in December. The Full Moon in the middle of the month could reveal something troubling about your partner’s financial situation. Boxing Day’s Solar Eclipse will trigger a spiritual breakthrough. You may decide to get rid of material excess, leading a stripped-down life. Feeling a deep connection with your Higher Power will ease anxieties that have dogged you for years. January’s Lunar Eclipse on the 10th will prompt you to look more closely at your health. Your charisma will be obvious on the 20th; make the most of this opportunity. Beware of adopting a new look on the 24th.

PISCES (February 20th-March 20th)

The Full Moon on the 12th will force a family confrontation. You’ve been turning a blind eye to a troubled relative’s behaviour. It will be impossible to ignore these outbursts. You’ll make a great impression and meet someone special on Boxing Day, when a Solar Eclipse energises your social sector. Making an influential friend will open doors for you at the end of 2019. The start of January is a good time for broadening your horizons. The New Moon on the 24th warns against repeating privileged or confidential information. You don’t want to get a reputation for being untrustworthy. Be practical and pragmatic about work responsibilities on the 27th.

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December/January 2020

All Together NOW!

WIN! WIN! WIN!

Horticultural heroes CHARMING: Ernest Wilson’s regal lily from China, and Frank Kingdon-Ward’s blue poppy from the Himalayas

ANY British wildflowers are charming – but few people would want to be restricted to those when planting their gardens.

We can thank the heroes of horticulture for the thousands of species available these days – plant-hunters who suffered and sometimes died to bring a dazzling array of flowers, shrubs, trees and climbers to our gardens. David Douglas, whose introductions included the flowering currant, lupins, California poppies and the Douglas fir, was killed in Hawaii in 1834 when he fell into a pit dug to trap wild bullocks. He was 35. Robert Fortune’s most famous achievement was to smuggle tea plants out of China in 1848 and help to establish the tea industry in (British) India. But he also brought us numerous plants including roses, hostas, rhododendrons and mahonias. Ernest Wilson introduced so many plant species from China that he became known as Chinese Wilson. All together he brought or sent back no fewer than 2,000 species! He had a tough time doing it, too. While collecting the lovely regal lily he was caught in a landslide, broke his leg in two places and walked with a limp for the rest of his life… which ended in the United States in 1930 at the age of 54 when he was killed in a road traffic accident.

William Lobb was another legend. In the mid-19th century, fresh from his success in introducing the monkey-puzzle tree from Chile, he was sent to find really big trees in California and send back seeds, cuttings and seedlings. He transplanted seedlings into metal buckets and carried them down mountainsides tied along the flanks of his horse, with the buckets clashing and clanging as he went. But he succeeded in sending back some of the first examples of the world’s largest trees – redwoods and giant sequoias – to be planted in England. He died, aged 65, in 1864 forgotten and alone, probably from syphilis. Reginald Farrer found many outstanding plants, among them a geranium in the mountains of upper Burma and a glorious winter-scented viburnum, both of which bear his name. In 1920, Farrer died in Burma, aged 40, supposedly of diphtheria, though some said it was alcohol poisoning. Frank Kingdon-Ward went on around 25 expeditions over nearly 50 years, exploring in Tibet, China, Burma and India. His most famous finds were the Himalayan blue poppy,

the giant cowslip and a yellow-flowered species of rhododendron which is named after him. He survived many accidents on his expeditions – impaled on a bamboo spike; fell off a cliff but landed in a tree halfway down; was lost in the jungle and survived by drinking flower nectar; escaped without serious injury when his tent was crushed by a tree in a storm; and he was close to the epicentre of an earthquake registering 9.6 on the Richter scale. At 68, he climbed to 8,500 feet on an expedition in India. He was still discovering new species on his last expedition, when he was 70. And he found time to write 25 books! He died aged 72, in 1958, peacefully. Today there are still dedicated plant hunters. Bleddyn and Sue Wynn-Jones, of Crug Farm Nursery, Griffith Crossing, near Caernarfon, have risked landslides, earthquakes, armed Maoists and armed guards protecting opium fields in Thailand. Despite all that, they have managed to introduce many new plants from South-east Asia and Central America. Many of the magnificent plants I have mentioned can still be seen in north-west England and north Wales, notably at Ness Gardens, Bodnant Garden near Conwy, or Quarry Bank near Wilmslow – all brought back by the heroes of horticulture.

Hunting anemones.. fending off enemies

ne of the greatest collectors was George Forrest, who went planthunting in the early 20th century for Arthur Bulley, the founder of Ness Gardens in Wirral.

Some of Forrest’s discoveries are still growing at the gardens. His search for plants was impeded by many difficulties, including a desperate bout of malaria, an attack by Tibetan warrior priests in which 16 of his plant-hunting team were slaughtered, and a fall from a river bridge while on horseback.

However, he went on seven major expeditions and brought back vast numbers of specimens, among them primula (50 species), gentian, camellia, clematis, jasmine, iris, mahonia, buddleia, anemone, aster and a spectacular flowering shrub which is named after him and still grows at Ness, Pieris formosa forrestii (pictured). He died of a heart attack while hunting game in China in 1932, aged 59.

Three blooming good guide books to be won

E HAVE three copies of the definitive guide to plants, each worth £40, to be won.

The RHS Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers, edited by Chris Brickell and published by Dorling Kindersley, has just been updated with more than 8,000 plants and 4,000 photographs. The book provides all the inspiration and information needed to choose the right plants for any garden. Drawing on top advice from the Royal Horticultural Society’s experts, this best-seller features a photographic catalogue of plants and flowers, all organised by colour, size, and type, to help select the right varieties for every kind of garden or patio situation. The comprehensive range includes more than 1,400 new plants. There are perennials, bulbs, shrubs, and trees, succulents, and ornamental shrubs, showcased with full-colour photographs. The extensive plant dictionary makes it easier to look up species and varieties, gives their hardiness ratings and recommends the best growing conditions. To enter the competition, answer this question: How many plants feature in the new RHS Encyclopedia?. n Send your entry with your name and address on a postcard or sealed envelope, stating where you picked up your copy of All Together NOW!, to RHS Book Competition, All Together NOW!, The Bradbury Centre, Youens Way, Liverpool L14 2EP, to arrive by Friday, January 24, or enter online at www.alltogethernow.org.uk. Please insert ENCYLOPEDIA in the subject line. For the full range of Dorling Kindersley’s gardening and other books go to www.dk.com.

sales@alltogethernow.org.uk . . . tel 0151 230 0307

All Together NOW!

December/January 2020

The Accumulator Quiz

STARSPOT CROSSWORD Can you find the celebrity name hidden in this Starspot Crossword? Complete the crossword in the normal way then make a note of the letters contained in all the squares which are marked with shaded stars. These letters will make an anagram of the name you are looking for. 1

★

21 23

★

★ 25

26 28

★

28 27

★

ACROSS

DOWN

1. Wisdom (8) 5. Wound mark (4) 9. Large and frightening imaginary creature (7) 10. Chasm (5) 11. Ruche (5) 13. Ring-road (6) 15. Keen (5) 17. Scottish skirt (4) 19. Bitumen (3) 20. Funeral pile (4) 21. Force back (5) 23. More protracted (6) 24. Sycophant (5) 28. Spanish accent (5) 29. Capital of Arizona (7) 30. Not any (4) 31. Excellence (8)

1. 2. 3. 4. 6. 7. 8. 12. 13. 14. 16. 18. 21. 22. 25. 26. 27.

A B C D

London Sydney Cape Town New York

Exactly alike (4) Person beyond help (inf.) (5) Cows (6) Rotate (4) Tearful child (7) Withstood (8) Woodland deity (5) Afterwards (5) Round flat cap (5) Bony framework (8) Empty space (3) Wool-fat (7) Begin again (5) Scottish loch (6) Dullard (5) Until (2,2) Rotational centre (4)

A B C D

Hippopotamuses Potato chips Alcohol Running water

QUESTION 5 – for 5 points: ‘Cheap as chips’ is the catchphrase of which TV personality? A B C D

David Dickinson Bruce Forsyth Arthur Negus Graham Norton

QUESTION 6 – for 6 points: Which country was lampooned by Sacha Baron Cohen when he played the title character in the film Borat? A B C D

Lithuania Kazakhstan Slovenia Moldova

P.D. James Ruth Rendell Lee Child Ian Rankin

QUESTION 12 – for 12 points: Which modern petroleum business began life as the Anglo-Persian Oil Company? A B C D

Actor Sacha Baron Cohen. See Question 6

Shell Esso Texaco BP

QUESTION 13 – for 13 points: The Thomas Cup is associated with which sport?

QUESTION 7 – for 7 points: Which of these acids is an ingredient used in the manufacture of baking powder? A B C D

Lactic acid Malic acid Acetic acid Tartaric acid

A B C D

Liverpool Leeds Birmingham Manchester

A B C D

Madonna Nicki Minaj Cher Lady Gaga

A B C D

Tennis Squash Table tennis Badminton

QUESTION 14 – for 14 points: Which planet in Gustav Holst’s Planets Suite is also described as The Magician?

QUESTION 8 – for 8 points: The TV comedy show The Royle Family was set in which city?

QUESTION 9 – for 9 points: Stefani Germanotta is the real name of which singer known for her outlandish outfits?

Mars Jupiter Uranus Saturn

QUESTION 15 – for 15 points: In which film did Greta Garbo say: “I want to be alone.”? Grand Hotel Anna Karenina Camille Ninotchka

KAKURO

There is just one simple rule in Sudoku. Each row and each column must contain the numbers 1 to 9, and so must each 3 x 3 box. This is a logic puzzle, and you should not have to guess.

9 7 2 5 8 4 7 2 8 4 6 5 5 8 9 4 1 3 9 7 2 8 9 7 5 6 3 9 2 3 7 9

A B C D

Parking meter Fruit machine Telephone box Charity collection box

QUESTION 4 – for 4 points: What is a potamophobe scared of?

New Providence Grand Bahama Great Abaco Long Island

QUESTION 11 – for 11 points: Chief Inspector Reg Wexford was created by which crime writer?

Before breakfast When taking tablets Before dinner Before bed

SUDOKU

EASY

A B C D

QUESTION 3 – for 3 points: What device is also known as a one-armed bandit? A B C D

★

★ 30

QUESTION 10 – for 10 points: On which island in the Bahamas is the capital Nassau situated?

QUESTION 2 – for 2 points: When would someone normally drink an aperitif?

★

16 19

chosen answers and keep a record of your points total. Maximum total points 120.

A B C D

10 11

Each question has four possible answers and is worth from one to 15 points. Circle your QUESTION 1 – for 1 point: In which of these cities is Times Square?

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

DIFFICULT

1 5 6 7

1 2

3 8 7 7 9 6 3

3 5 8 1 2 6 9 5 8

Fill in the blank squares in the grid with numbers so that each horizontal or vertical line adds up to the total given in the box either to the left or above it. Horizontal totals are given in the top right corners of the shaded boxes; vertical totals in the bottom left corners. You can use the numbers 1 to 9, but may not use the same number more than once in any run. The number may be used again, however, in the same row or column but as part of another run.

MEDIUM 8

11 24 34 12 7

12 23

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Telephone dialling pads combine several letters on one key. Here we have encoded several sets of words or items by using numbers rather than letters. Then we have divided them into groups of three characters and run all the names one after another to make your task a little more difficult. Can you crack the codes?

Each number in our Cross Code grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. You have three letters in the control grid to start you off. Enter them in the appropriate squares in the main grid, then use your knowledge of words to work out which letters should go in the missing squares. As you get the letters, fill in other squares with the same number in the main grid and control grid. Check off the alphabetical list of letters as you identify them.

1 2

1 []â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;

2 ABC

3 DEF

4 GHI

5 JKL

6 MNO

7 PQRS

8 TUV

9 WXYZ

Spaces and any punctuation marks are represented by 1.

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

DIALLING CODES

CROSS CODE

All Together NOW!

December/January 2020

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FRESH

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PORT

COTTON

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LET

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CORD

STRIKE

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DRUM

ACID

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OFF

3. seashells 697 837 162 884 587 173 749 465 531 546 738 194 355 126 974 314 426 812 526 187 486 617 833 617 225 567 174 336 251 946 553 172 967 174 355

4. gardenerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tools 529 666 937 174 683 518 769 351 748 243 675 174 733 337 173 228 387 713 344 641 743 277 172 984 312 455 466 519 433 522 776 912 858 482 867

5. animal homes or lairs 782 253 127 827 486 126 844 551 488 241 927 736 153 663 512 334 483 128 427 913 739 178 912 877 691 637 817 665 379 173 881 786 136 832 683

6. and blue flags 638 437 526 371 824 926 124 453 186 483 317 828 371 667 929 126 782 174 221 282 213 726 231 667 841 567 321 589 362 687 418 424 526 315 267

PATHWORDS

SPOT CHECK

Starting from the central shaded letter, move one letter at a time (up, down, right or left, but not diagonally) to find 16 UK theme park rides.

Can you place the six dominoes (right) into the grid below in such a way that the number of spots in all four rows across and all four rows down totals 00?

G W X

M E

H A R

O N M O M

SCENTED

2. household poisons 268 437 339 317 272 334 616 384 952 833 177 474 871 887 736 846 312 666 642 127 367 683 125 322 413 474 633 282 681 386 442 433 172 727 828

MISSING LINK Each pair of words has a missing word between them that acts as a link to both (e.g. FRONT â&#x20AC;&#x201C; DOOR â&#x20AC;&#x201C; MAT). The initial letters of the six answers (reading downwards) will spell out a vegetable.

characters in traditional

1. childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stories 627 917 677 467 194 664 318 431 766 418 623 163 186 231 425 517 383 717 261 738 371 722 248 178 737 812 455 912 868 371 765 592 662 166 339

B T

U M A

S M M O L

O N

WORD WIZARD Here is an unusual word with three definitions, only one of which is correct. Can you identify the right definition?

A C B

countries with red, white

E D

QUIPU

H W M X

C O G

In which year did all three of these significant historical events take place?

P W T

1. Christopher Columbus discovers the West Indies.

L A D N L TRANSFORMER

MATCH

L I

1) A device to help the memory consisting of various colours of knotted cords, used by the ancient Peruvians;

MAKE A DATE

2) A SpanishAmerican braided hide riding-whip;

2. Granada, the last Moorish stronghold remaining in Europe, is captured by Spanish forces.

3) A type of pygmy porcupine, found only in South America.

3. Rodrigo Borgia is elected pope and takes the title of Alexander VI.

Add the given letter to the first word to make a new word.

Clue: An alternative form of difficulty.

WAS IT? a) 1252; b) 1312; c) 1372; d) 1432; e) 1492.

_____ +B=B_____

ALL THE ANSWERS Pathwords: Slammer; Black Pearl; Oblivion; Big One; Colossus; Stealth; Hero; Vortex; Maelstrom; Whirlwind; Apocalypse; Pandemonium; Nemesis; Eagleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Claw; Hex; Bounty.

3 8 6 4 5 2 7 1 9

2 9 7 1 6 8 5 4 3

1 4 5 7 3 9 2 6 8

9 7 1 3 8 4 6 2 5

SUDOKU EASY

4 6 2 5 9 7 3 8 1

5 3 8 2 1 6 9 7 4

6 2 9 8 4 3 1 5 7

8 5 3 6 7 1 4 9 2

7 1 4 9 2 5 8 3 6

2 1 5 4 6 9 7 8 3

6 3 8 1 7 2 9 5 4

9 4 7 8 3 5 6 1 2

1 8 9 7 2 4 5 3 6

( 0 3

8 6

;

1 2

)

. *

9 : 4 5 %

& $

CROSS CODE

5 6 4 9 1 3 8 2 7

3 7 2 5 8 6 1 4 9

SUDOKU DIFFICULT

8 2 1 3 9 7 4 6 5

4 9 3 6 5 1 2 7 8

7 5 6 2 4 8 3 9 1

23 12

12 34 5 15 22

9 4

5 8

9 6

7 24

8 17

7 9

KAKURO MEDIUM

6 3 2 1 12

8 3 9 20

Accumulator Quiz 1 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; D; 2 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; C; 3 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; B; 4 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; D; 5 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; A; 6 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; B; 7 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; D; 8 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; D; 9 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; D; 10 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; A; 11 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; B; 12 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; D; 13 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; D; 14 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; C; 15 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; A. Starspot Crossword Across â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1 Sagacity; 5 Scar; 9 Monster; 10 Abyss; 11 Frill; 13 Bypass; 15 Eager; 17 Kilt; 19 Tar; 20 Pyre; 21 Repel; 23 Longer; 24 Toady; 28 Tilde; 29 Phoenix; 30 None; 31 Goodness. Down â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1 Same; 2 Goner; 3 Cattle; 4 Turn; 6 Crybaby; 7 Resisted; 8 Satyr; 12 Later; 13 Beret; 14 Skeleton; 16 Gap; 18 Lanolin; 21 Renew; 22 Lomond; 25 Dunce; 26 Up to; 27 Axis. Star Name: PAUL HOLLYWOOD

Word Wizard No 1 is correct. A quipu is a mnemonic device. Dialling Codes 1. Mary Poppins; Winnie The Pooh; Toad Of Toad Hall; Peter Pan; Peter Rabbit; Rupert; Billy Bunter; Pollyanna; Noddy. 2. antifreeze; paraďŹ&#x192;n; methylated spirits; turpentine; ammonia; creosote; bleach; disinfectant; fungicide; paraquat. 3. oyster; nautilus; periwinkle; limpet; whelk; cowrie; giant clam; triton; queen scallop; piddock; winkle; razor shell. 4. lawnmower; shovel; trowel; pitchfork; shredder; secateurs; edging shears; scythe; billhook;

wheelbarrow; cultivator. 5. stable; aquarium; anthill; hutch; warren; kennel; beehive; aviary; drey; sty; burrow; nest; rookery; sett; run; dovecote. 6. Netherlands; Taiwan; Chile; United States; Norway; Costa Rica; Cuba; France; North Korea; Luxembourg; Thailand; Laos. Spot Check A = 6; B = 2; C = 5; D = 1; E = 3; F = 4. Missing Link candle; air; reel; rip; oil; test. Vegetable: carrot. Make a Date The year was 1492. Transformer Other + B = Bother.

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December/January 2020

Advantage, Cornelia!

ORMER Army officer Cornelia Oosthuizen has had her bid for Paralympic gold boosted after being presented with a new custombuilt sports wheelchair.

Cornelia, 40, said: “This is a top of the range sports wheelchair especially designed for tennis and it’s a massive privilege to be gifted this. It will also be a massive help for my 2020 bid.” The wheelchair was supplied by The OppO Foundation, a charity started by Kayam Iqba, the former RAF serviceman and hunter on Channel 4’s Celebrity Hunted. “I would encourage any guys or girls with disabilities to get involved with sport Life might be different, but it is definitely not over. You may surprise yourself in what enjoyment you can find.

All Together NOW! is helping and inspiring tens of thousands of people whose lives are affected by disability. But the charity needs to find ways to balance the books. You can help in a big way by becoming one of our loyal subscribers. For a suggested £15 donation (more, if you can afford it!) we will send you the next SIX editions. NAME

ADDRESS

“Being medically discharged from the military after my last tour of Afghanistan, I struggled each day trying to find a purpose in life. “But anything is possible if you put your mind to it and that your future can be controlled by you and not your injury, mental or physical.” Cornelia injured her foot while playing tennis for the Army. After five years of chronic pain she decided to have her lower right leg amputated. She took up wheelchair tennis and in 2017 returned from the Invictus Games with a bronze medal – and a gold in the ladies’ golf competition. n The OppO Foundation is aiming to help five or more ex-service people who have suffered an injury and who are wishing to compete in the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo or Invictus Games.

GAME ON: Cornelia and Kayam Iqba

FIGHTING BACK: ‘All we need is 20 minutes a day of exercise,’ says Ben Wimbush, who broke his back eight years ago and who is now determined to help others

New beginnings

AVING lived with a spinal cord injury for the last eight years, I know the effects a disability can have physically and mentally.

Please send this coupon and a cheque payable to All Together NOW! to: Subscriptions Dept., All Together NOW! The Bradbury Centre, Youens Way, Liverpool L14 2EP — THANKS!

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But exercise, in any form, has limitless potential to increase our physical and mental health. In 2011 I was in a trampolining accident – a failed somersault hit me with a sharp flash of pain which left me paralysed from the chest down. The doctors didn’t need to tell me, I knew instantly that I wouldn’t walk again. I wouldn’t return home for seven months, and it was only when I did that the magnitude of what had happened sunk in, and I slipped into a deep depression. As I battled with my depression my love of sports never left and having been told of the importance of exercise for people with

By BEN WIMBUSH

spinal cord injuries, I made it my mission to get moving. That is why I started the #20isplenty campaign as a means for me to cope and stay motivated. The idea is simple – we all need to spend at least 20 minutes on average a day both exercising as well as finding something that allows us to completely unplug from our day-to-day lives. Sharing photos and using the hashtag has helped build a community of people that motivate each other whilst increasing the awareness and showcasing the importance exercise can have on your mental health. Since starting the campaign, I have had some incredible and inspiring messages from people who have taken part and benefitted from #20isplenty, and over 3,000

people interacting with the movement across my socials. It’s been a good year for me personally, as I’ve been honoured in Lucozade Sport’s inaugural Movers List. It’s nice to know that, not only is my message and efforts recognised, but the campaign is working, and the community is growing. It’s not just me either – I’m listed alongside so many incredible people who are inspiring their communities. Hopefully, we can continue to grow the #20isplenty campaign in 2020. My injury has changed my life, not ended it. n Ben is 40 and lives in Blackley, Manchester. He worked with RBS as a telephone service representative, and is now a motivational speaker. www.twitter.com/benwimbushSCORD

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December/January 2020

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Paralympian Hannah’s push to get disabled people into sport

New fund to create more opportunities

BREAKING DOWN THE BARRIERS Hannah Cockroft

ARALYMPIC world-record holder Hannah Cockroft blames rising expectations and a lack of early opportunities for the alarming decline in disability sport participation.

At 15 years old, she was forced to compete in an adult male wheelchair as there was no suitable equipment available, and while the situation has improved since the London 2012 Paralympics, Hannah still believes that more could be done. She said: “There are clubs scattered around the UK, but I’m from Yorkshire and there is only one there, in Leeds, with only seven or eight racing chairs. “There are very few hoists at swimming pools across the country and gyms aren’t prepared for disabled people – these are real barriers to disabled people getting active. “Give us disabled changing rooms; give us a ramp to get inside. If I don’t feel wanted and I feel it will be a struggle, I will just avoid it.” Speaking on a new podcast series called ‘Let’s Talk About It’, Hannah describes the importance of sport in helping her to succeed despite her disability, and, along with British number one wheelchair tennis player Alfie Hewett, is encouraging other disabled people to take up disability sport. Both Hannah and Alfie were removed from PE lessons at school due to their physical differences. Hannah, who boasts an impressive five Paralympic titles, ten world champion titles, three European champion titles and four world records, said: “P.E. was always the one thing I

was taken out of at school, so I always felt my disability then, but once I found sport it made me accept it a little bit more and made me see that it is okay.” So what are the major barriers blocking people with disabilities from taking part in sport and how can they be overcome? While the London Paralympics depicted disabled athletes in an incredibly positive light, some believe that the hype has actually had an adverse effect on general participation levels. The athletes were labelled ‘superhuman’ by some well-intentioned people and media, but, rather than inspiring those with disabilities, the term has increased the level of expectation. Hannah believes that some disabled people are discouraged from taking up sport because they are now expected to perform at high levels.

‘Not everyone wants to be a Paralympian’

“I’ve met so many disabled people since London 2012 who have said ‘I want to get involved with sport’, but when I’m pushing down the street, everyone asks ‘why are you not on the track against Dave Weir or Jonnie Peacock or whoever?’ “Suddenly we got labelled the ‘superhumans’, but it wasn’t just the Paralympians who got labelled, it was disabled people in general. As disabled people, not everyone wants to be a Paralympian. “This pressure to succeed can be off-putting, so it is important to emphasise that sport is

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about so much more than getting to the top. “For example, regardless of the standard, the social benefits of taking part are incredibly significant. From making new friends to feeling part of a team, sport can have a massive positive impact on people’s lives and can help to promote social inclusion. “As a disabled child, you hear the word ‘no’ a lot, and ‘can’t’, and so many negative words people telling you what you can and can’t do. But I was always brought up to decide that for myself. “People with disabilities need to be empowered early on to pursue whichever sports they like and school P.E. lessons are an important environment for this. “Whether this involves schools buying special equipment or training staff on how to make their lessons more inclusive, there is work to be done, otherwise the next generation could be put off sport forever. “Looking to the future, there is no simple solution to the declining participation in disability sport, as the reasons for the slide are numerous and complex. “However, with intelligent allocation of funding, changes to how disabled people are labelled and perhaps some policy amendments, progress can be made.”

n The podcast is the first in a new series launched by Irwin Mitchell focusing on what it’s really like to live with a disability and will feature episodes on sports, home life, relationships, travel and money. n www.irwinmitchell.com/letstalkaboutit

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AR company Toyota has launched a £250,000 fund for registered sport and leisure activity providers wanting to improve and expand their activities for disabled people.

The new UK-wide funding programme has the backing of ParalympicsGB athletes including multiple Paralympic swimming gold medallist Bethany Firth from Northern Ireland. Prior to starting swimming lessons as a pupil at Longstone Special School, Bethany had a fear of water, having fallen into a pool as a fouryear-old on holiday in Australia. Bethany said: “I think it’s amazing what the Toyota Parasport Fund is doing because so many people don’t have the opportunity to try a sport or get involved. “There are so many different sports out there and everyone has a different sport that they might enjoy. People can get into sport for so many other reasons than winning a medal, whether that’s for the health benefits or the social side. “If I hadn’t had the opportunity through my school to get involved in swimming, I wouldn’t be the person I am today and I wouldn’t have the medals I’ve won. For Toyota to create the opportunity is amazing.” n www.parasport.org.uk

The first step

SPORT is for everyone, whatever your age or physical ability. But access can be more challenging if you have a limb impairment. Where do I start? How do I try a particular sport? How do I return to a sport I used to play? How do I achieve my goals and ambitions? The new Player Pathway guide is a must for anyone wanting to get involved in sport, says Paralympian and LimbPower patron Richard Whitehead. “This a fantastic new resource. Not only does it support individuals who want to take part in social physical activity, it also provides guidance for those who want to aim higher and compete at events or games meetings. In addition, it enables coaches to understand where to signpost for the next opportunities available.” n www.limbpower. com

Tel 0151 230 0307

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December/January 2020

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The best gift of all – independence

OOKING for something to help you with your mobility needs? Or a Christmas gift for someone close to you?

A walking aid, a wheelchair, a powered scooter or a handcycle – manually propelled or a powered variety . . ? Or do you need your car adapting with hand controls, or something to help you getting in and out of a vehicle? If so, then make sure you check out the team at Da Vinci Mobility, one of the most innovative wheelchair manufacturers in the UK – and they are based in Liverpool! Set up 16 years ago by wheelchair user Vincent Ross, the company provides a wide range of mobility solutions for people with all sorts of needs. “We love helping people retain or regain their independence,” says Vin. No task is too small, too big, or too

challenging for the team. And it’s not all about hi-tech solutions . . . Co partner Steve Curran says: “We can provide simple solutions to make life so much easier for everyone with a mobility issue – whatever their age and whatever their situation. “We’re here to help. Just give us a call, or drop in at our showrooms and take a look at what’s available.You won’t be disappointed!”

Manual & Powered Wheelchairs Power Trikes & Hand Bikes Spare and replacement parts

350 watt Midi Trailrider

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VIN ROSS, left, and STEVE CURRAN

Tel: 0151 548 1999

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DaVinci QMX ATV

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DaVinci Mobility Ltd. 6 Carraway Road, Liverpool L11 0EE. Tel: 0151 548 1999 Email: sales@davincimobility.co.uk